Vengeance is Written in Blood
by xxdarknessxfallsxx
Summary: There is a curse set upon the Lockett Royal family; every Lockett male shall die after leaving a successor. For years I've looked for a way to break the curse, what I found was a vampire who lusted for me in ways I'd never dreamed. Complete!
1. Introduction

Note: Welcome to the ride, kiddies. This is a vampire romance/mystery idea of mine I'm trying to develop featuring my own characters, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated. All characters and ideas except for vampirism belong to me. Any characters alikeness to any real vampire or woman is just a coincidence. Thank you.

**Introduction – The Lockett Curse**

For centuries, there has said to have been a curse on the royal family of the Lockett's. The family was known for having success in the areas of financial and military leadership; the small country the family ruled had never seen debt or had been taken over by another country in its history. The family name could not be lost in marriage, just as blood could not, and since this name could not perish when a daughter married outside of the family, the line was sure to never die out. But once the curse was set into play, no matter who married, whether it be the daughter or son of a Lockett; every male who held the name Lockett and had one healthy child was the victim of this curse. Every male Lockett with that criteria mysteriously died, disappeared, or was murdered.

Nobody is exactly sure what happened to cause such a curse to be set upon the family, but what each person's story has in common is one thing; a vampire. The first man to die after having one healthy child was named Stephan Lockett IV. The story changes slightly depending on who is asked, but the general idea I heard whispered in my ear was that Stephan wanted to marry the most beautiful woman in the small country. After searching and interviewing for months, he finally found the maiden he was looking for, a young woman named Courtney with soft and curly honeysuckle blonde hair and the most intense blue eyes. The night before the wedding, it's told Courtney revealed that she was a vampire and tried to kill her fiance, but Stephan managed to fight her off. After that night, she fled and was never seen again, and Stephan and every male after him since that day, after having their first child, died too soon.

After several generations of this happening, it was difficult for the Lockett family to keep the throne just because of lack of heirs. Sons of the Lockett's refused to marry, less they end up like their father before them. Lockett daughters refused to marry and have children in fear that their partner would die. Without arranged marriages and the strong-willed nature of the family, the bloodline would have been wiped out early in the 18th century. No matter the trouble the family faced, however, the bloodline survives with the throne and the country till this very day. No true culprit has ever been caught, but the people of the country have their suspicions. With the repetition of male deaths, people thought of it as a curse; and the story whispered in each ear about Sir Stephan and the vampire Courtney became a legend.

My name is Allison Mary Lockett. I am the only known child born under Mary and David Lockett, the rulers of the country in the legend. My family name and bloodline is that of royalty and I am the last known living heir to the throne of my country. Rightfully, I should claim the throne I was born to claim and lead my country into a new shining age where the curse can be broken. But I chose to hide from my fate and reside not in Europe, but in the United States.

When I was young, my father passed away, a death that could only be blamed on the curse since he died of natural causes, my mother and I fled the country and came across seas to the United States trying a new approach on breaking the curse: running away. After I graduated college and moved out of the house, my mother was murdered. The police investigation was brief and closed quickly without finding a culprit. The only evidence that went into the case box was a report stating the cause of death: blood loss (or drainage) from two teeth-like puncture wounds in the neck; and a fine piece of paper with the word "_Vengeance"_ written in my mother's blood.

Three years later, now an orphan but also an adult free to make my own decisions, I changed my name to 'Ally Lovett' in hopes I could keep avoiding the inevitable of going home and taking claim of my country. In hopes I could keep away from the curse. But mostly in hopes I could catch my mother's killer; and for this, I only have one lead. A lead that has been my past, present, and I am making my future: **vampires**.


	2. Chapter I

Note: Sorry that there was nothing at all interesting to actual characters in the introduction and it totally lacked any form of emotion whatsoever. I give you the juicy stuff now, after all of these thoughts and information. I know, it drags on and on..._The italics in this first part is all thinking done by Allison._ Bear with me, I have the grand idea in my head but I'm writing the details as I go. Feedback is always appreciated.

**Chapter 1 – Couldn't Help Myself**

Steam filled the tiny bathroom to the point I couldn't see the towel I had set on the counter. Turning off the water, I wrapped my curves in the article and squeezed the water out of my long hair before stepping out into my cool apartment. Taking a long hot shower in the morning was the equivalent of a cup of coffee for me.

The apartment was small and nothing special; a front room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom. I walked into my bedroom and stood in front of a full length mirror in the corner of the room. With mature blue eyes I looked over my features today; they were the same as yesterday.

My skin was a creamy tan, not quite pale; and my body, to my eyes, was average in every way, but I was told I had a slender build with long legs for a woman 5' 6". My wet long hair fell in a clump down my back and across my breast and once dry looked like it was taken to a salon, but was all natural. A dark russet color was the base and within each strand was a natural wheat colored highlight. I had been asked more than once where I had my hair styled at, but after telling a person I didn't go to a stylist, the reaction was less than pleasant.

My morning routine was simple. Prepare myself in the bathroom then eat breakfast and head to work. Sitting at my poor excuse for a dining table, I flipped through my little planner to see which client I would be shooting today while shoving some eggs down my throat. My eyes scanned over the little space in the planner for tomorrow where nothing was written. I had a strong feeling something should have been written there and suddenly I felt as if I'd forgotten something vaguely important. Unable to recall, my thoughts wondered to things of the passed.

_Three years had passed since my mother's murder. The emotional sadness and depression had never come to me in that time of losing her; the only family I had after father passed on. I was too angry with the simplicity of the investigation of her murder to remorse. The department simply found the cause of death, bagged a couple of useless items to call evidence and ignored the big signature mark of the killer, the word 'Vengeance' written on a piece of paper in blood; then closed the case with no leads. The most infuriating part of this was that both I and the police knew exactly why the case was so easily dismissed; because her life was taken by a vampire and it would be crazy to write that on a report, even if it were the truth. I was too angry at the time to feel sadness and still the sadness hasn't come._

_After the time of her death, I realized I was alone in a foreign country rather than my homeland, but I was still not ready to go home and take responsibility for my people and my country, I decided I was going to kill two birds with one stone: break the Lockett curse and find the vampire who killed my mother. Both ideas were pretty shady and a long shot, I knew I would risk almost everything in order to pursue even one. But both goals were one in the same. All of my answers lie with or around vampires, and if finding one or evidence of one was what I needed, so be it._

I traveled over to the calendar on the wall and flipped through the months, dully noting each day I had marked. Suddenly my eyes went wide, looking at what day it was today. "...Somehow I managed to overlook my birthday is tomorrow." I sighed. I knew my co-workers hadn't forgotten. They were probably planning the surprise party right now.

_Speaking of, I worked as a photographer for a modeling agency. I was not one of the big-shot "Tyra Banks" shooters, nor did I plan to be, but I made well on my salary doing photo shoots for models just starting out in the business. I guess you could say I would be the one who started careers for some of the more famous models, but I did not wish to move up the scale of promotions. Living with a false identity and being a celebrity doesn't mix well. Because of this job, I had several cameras and lots of equipment decorating the shelves in my room-for-one apartment, and any counter space was cluttered with photos and portfolios._

_Aside from photo after photo laying around, books and newspapers cluttered my living space, all with the subjects of the living dead, vampires. I always knew vampires were not just a myth, and after seeing my mother's blood-drained body I knew for sure; vampires had always been lurking in the shadows, or even right among the crowd. I collected three years of gathered information on vampires (you learn to weed out crap from suspicious) and any leads of where a vampire might be living or general areas. I knew there were plenty of murders on behalf of vampires that the police had simply cleaned up and closed case, and I was determined to put a stop on that corruption by investigating on my own. I had the money (from three years of solid saving and living in this tiny apartment). I had the equipment and I had the sources with hook-ups (I could get the scoop on anything I needed, one way or another). _

_But even though my interest with these creatures could borderline obsession, Revenge was not my main motive in this search for the bloodsuckers. I wanted answers, knowledge; I wanted to figure out who killed my mother but it wasn't dedicating my life to avenging her death alone, (Now, if the vampire who decided to take my mother's life happened to be drenched in gasoline, I might be the one who dropped the match), but most of all I wanted an answer for this damned curse and clarity for all of the Lockett's who had died. Was it the curse who killed all of those Lockett men, or was it actually a something or someone out in the world? I was positive the answer was out there somewhere, but I was blindly assured the answer lay within the eyes and blood of the creatures named vampires._

My thoughts we interrupted when a timer suddenly went off in the kitchen. "Time for work." I reminded myself thankfully. Something to look forward to, even if my morning hadn't started out the greatest with all of these old memories resurfacing. I grabbed my things as the timer rang infuriatingly, which I turned off before I went out the door. I knew Lucy and Daniel would get my mind off of things.

Two co-workers I had come to enjoy my company with whenever we did a shoot or a project together were Lucy and Daniel, probably the closest people to friends I had at this point in my life. They knew little about my past and vampire interests, but they did know how to push my buttons or enlighten my mood; and my birth date.

"I'm disappointed, Ally. Almost 23 and not married yet?" Lucy teased as I came into work. I tried to ignore her but a smile got the best of me. She was a true blond beauty, medium blonde hair and an aqua eye color on pale skin, newly 21 and loving every moment of everything.

"Just tell me where I need to show up." I told her, trying my best not to be inspired by her sparkling attitude. She could figure out I hated celebrating my birthday with big parties full of people I hardly knew.

Daniel approached my desk as I said this, waving a nice piece of paper at me with a grin on his tanned face. "Well, naturally we've planned a huge party and invited loads of handsome man-candy for you to chew on." he replied, setting the paper in my hands. "Lord knows you need a boyfriend as a new hobby." I fumed, glancing at it to read important information about "my party," which apparently was going to be in a club.

No matter how much Daniel could annoy me, I respected him. He was English and he fully grasped his United Kingdom culture in most everything he did, opposite of what I do with my own culture. Thick and curly chocolate colored hair rooted his head as soft hazel eyes looked over me as I shoved the paper into my bag. The bit of dirt I had on him, however, was his huge blinded crush he had on Lucy. It was absolutely adorable two watch to people be so innocent and blind around one another.

"I'll be there if I have time." I told them with little hope in my voice, which was as good as a yes from me. They left me with satisfactory after that, actually letting me get to work. I glanced at the clock; then started processing the paperwork for the client I'd be shooting today. The day went by easily enough, faster than I thought. I was ready to go home around 4 rather than the usual 6, sometimes later depending on the talent of the model or requirements for the shoot. The woman who saw me today was new to the business but actually knew what she was doing in front of my camera; a Latino beauty named Felicia, something or another.

Lucy and Daniel hardly bothered me during the day about my birthday party they took the liberty of planning without my knowledge. I did, however, get a reminder from Lucy before I could walk outside of the building. "We paid a pretty penny for the band who's performing... so you better at least show up." Her voice was cute and didn't fit the threatening tone she was trying to have, attempting to guilt me into coming when I already planned on it.

"I'll keep it in mind, Lucy." I replied before at last heading home.

It was a nice day, I decided the walk the several blocks home instead of taking a cab or bus. I had time to kill anyway; the only thing to do once I got home was to plunge into the local newspapers for unexplained recent events and check if any messages came from the reporters and journalists I had close ties with. Anything could be related to vampire activity in a big city, more things than one may suspect.

Again, the subject of vampires fluttered to the top of my mind without my control. I needed a break or something to keep my mind from wandering, definitely a new hobby but that wasn't an option for me. Thinking about what I had, I whipped out the piece of paper Daniel gave me earlier with information about my party. 'Ally's 23: Single and Lovin' it!' was the title on the page. I rolled my eyes, knowing the two planners must have sent this to 50 or more people by now. I glanced at the address and time; 9pm at a club Lucy had taken me to more than once named 'Midnight Moon.'

Wonderful. A party in an alcoholic area that gave an excuse for any person to walk in and hit on me. Just what I need on my birthday. I shoved the invite back into my bag and suddenly my legs stopped.

Odd. What possessed me to stop right in the middle of the sidewalk? I stood facing a thick, black metal fence that protected a large yard filled with trees and vines that seemed to try to hide the large home in the middle. The architecture of the home was stone and nicely carved, sort of like that of the big libraries in the city, but it reminded me more of, well, home back in Europe. I glanced up at the street I was on and realized I had been walking the long way home all along, a mistake I hadn't meant to make.

I looked back to the building. It looked too big to be just a resident home, but not public enough for some sort of conference center. The next thing my legs and arms did took me by surprise; I walked over to the front of the gate and opened my way inside the yard. Closer up to the front of the building, the vines grew upward on the porch and along the steps leading up to the door. This suggested the building had been here for a long while, but how could I not notice such a mansion and this much foliage before today?

I knew one thing. This wasn't public area and I shouldn't be walking up to the front door like I was. Oak door with lion head brass knockers, I noted as my hands reached forward to grab the arched handle. I was insane for entering this person's home; I was insane for loosing all sense of reason except to go right on in. The door opened with a click. It would it be crazy to say that I was drawn to this place; but that's what it was! There was some force from outside working within that was telling me to come into this stranger's home and satisfy my curiosity! _I just couldn't help myself._

My feet made distinct tapping noises on the marble floors as I entered, which broke the eerie silence the home held. With the tall ceilings and vastness of the interior, the place seemed abandoned. Finished wooden furniture and brass items decorated the rooms and hallways, dust and webs clung to every surface, no matter how elegant. I only walked through the front room and into a grand living room to the right, though I had plenty of choices of doors to my left down the hallway. My breathing was scarce as my wide sapphire eyes drank in every detail a human could, though it was less than difficult to see when curtains covered almost every window, not letting much natural light come in through the glass.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw a path leading up a winding stair case to the second story. My neck hairs stood on end either from the suspense or the excitement, I couldn't tell. At this point, all common sense had left me. The mind set I had was that this place was a playground, and I roamed where my body felt I should; and that was up to the next level.

I still didn't quite know what was causing me to do these things. As I mentioned before, some force was just pulling me along and I was complying eagerly toward a room near the beginning of the hallway. My hand grasped the brass handle of the door securely before turning the mechanism and it opened with a click. My body slowly drew inside of the room; it never occurred to me once to take a picture of anything, but right about now I was thinking that the reason this mansion stood outside of the normal city and was so huge but looked as if no one lived here, was because a vampire had made this large piece of real estate their home.

The single object in the room that made me jump to this conclusion was a large rectangular stone in the exact center of the room. Dust did not cover the surface of the stone, and as I walked closer I could see the unique design of angels and demons that was carved in, almost eloquently enough to cause me to overlook that the object was a stone tomb. My mind reeled as this realization took me over; and I knew I was going to meet the creature I had so long looked for. My senses came back in a whirl and that force drawing me here had suddenly disappeared as the lid to the tomb moved aside to reveal what was within.

My breath completely stopped as the heavy stone lid slid off far enough for the body within to rise and see who had disturbed their rest. A body did rise, though it was not a corpse as it should be inside a tomb, but the torso was that of a topless man, pale as snow, his head was decorated with short but shimmering blond hair that seemed to sparkle even though he was covered in shadows. I gasped in a much needed breath of air as I realized I was looking at the back of a vampire's head, and in that moment he turned his neck so quickly I didn't realize he was staring at me until the icy blue eyes had already penetrated my soul. I was too petrified to scream. My entire body, just a moment ago moving against my will now wouldn't move when I was screaming "run" inside my mind.

He looked angry, his thick eyebrows scrunching together in frustration as he stood completely up and stepped out of the tomb in such a way it seemed as if he hadn't moved a single muscle and somehow appeared to be standing before me. I was mentally at war with myself as this went on, trying so hard to get myself together and take control over my own limbs again. He came closer and closer and towered a good 6 inches over me; his nose was touching the strands of the loose hairs sticking out around my forehead.

Finally at this, I managed to mutter a very shaky "no!" and jump backwards. Finally my body began responding to my mental signals, I continued to inch backwards, my legs working of their own accord again as my eyes lay petrified on his shadowy form that was moving closer every time I stepped away. The anger in his sharp features seem to lighten once he got a good look at me and my pathetic form cowering away. I was more frightened beyond any other fear that had plagued my senses before. I could feel my body shaking until my legs hit the wall and a window seal behind me, which my hands automatically clenched in some form of desperation. Suddenly I felt a warm, comforting feeling envelope my backside; I had stepped into the little amount of sunlight that came into the room through the window.

He frowned as he saw the sunlight had overtaken me, acting like armor to my being. It seemed he had stopped coming closer, though I was still sure he hadn't moved a muscle since he arose from the tomb. A very unhappy, almost a snarl, and defeated look washed over the pale face in the shadows. He could not touch me now.

Finally I heard a voice. A voice that was a deep growl and threatening in tone. "Consider yourself lucky, miss Allison Lockett." I gasped and my body froze as I heard the words but saw his lips did not dare even twitch. Not only that, but I was sure I'd never met this man, or creature before in my life and he knew my true name! My knees were shaking with panic at this point, I had never expected them to be so...cunning. He stared at me with those icy blue eyes and slowly his tall dark form sunk back toward the stone coffin I had disturbed him from. Then too fast for my eyes to see clearly, he lay back down and sealed himself within the stone prison once again.

Whatever breath I had been holding came out in a long sigh. I didn't move from my sanctuary-like place until I was absolutely positive the danger had passed. Part of me told myself the danger never completely would pass, and that by entering here and making contact with the vampire, I had started a course of something bigger than my life alone; a destiny I could not escape from.

I banished all of these thoughts and many more as my legs carried me as fast as they could out of the mansion, down the streets, and up into the safety of my apartment.


	3. Chapter II

Note: I want to give a thank all who had reviewed _(-cough b-in-b-),_ but also those who read and are just too lazy/unmodivated to review. You make my sun come in the morning, you do. -big grin- Please don't flame my poor attempts to have Daniel speak in an English dialect. I'm an American and got everything from a guide found in a google search written by a young Englishman with no life. And watching Zero Punctuation videos.

**Chapter 2 – The Icy Eyes**

_I hummed cheerily while taking a brush from my night stand. A smile came to my lips as I looked at myself in the mirror in my room. I was pleased with what I saw today; though I was sure I looked the same as always even if I was dressed in an elegant white nightgown. I pulled all of my hair over my left shoulder and let it fall over my chest and began to run the brush gently through the unique colored strands. Oddly overjoyed, I turned my head and fully exposed the right side of my neck, but in the corner of my sapphire eyes, I spotted a male form that was not in the mirror's reflection and should have been. I gasped and dropped the brush and before it could hit the ground the man behind me with no reflection pulled on my body by my arms into his. His skin was pale, and fair shimmering locks curled only around his eyes. These eyes, that stared directly into mine, were the lightest shade of blue but the most intense eyes I had ever been locked with. I had no time to react, in fear, in panic, before those eyes rolled up into their sockets and a venomous hissing came from his opening mouth, the most grotesque pair of fangs finding way to my neck..._

I jumped awake in a cold sweat. My chest heaved as I breathed shallow breaths of air into my quivering body. I sat in the darkness of my room, the moonlight outside of my window making silhouettes of everything inside. There was no pair of ice-blue eyes in the shadows, there was nothing but me and my developing insanity.

I kicked the covers off my body without glancing at the clock in my bedroom; I knew it was too early. I ignored the mirror as well and tramped to the bathroom where I desperately chugged down a glass of water with a thirst as if I hadn't drank in days. I paused after this, watching my chest rise and fall rapidly in my bathroom reflection. I studied myself; the bags under my eyes and how they were almost bloodshot with the impact of my dream, the way my hair clung loosely in it's tie with little strands sticking to the tiny sweat droplets running down my cheeks, and then my skin was pale but slowly regained color the more I calmed. I craned my neck to look on both sides; no marks, punctures, wounds.

With a stressful sigh I set my head on the counter and closed my eyes. I had to be overreacting. All I had done was come in contact with a vampire. People did that all the time, right? _Wrong,_ the other side of my mind said to me. It told that by crossing the border humans should not cross and coming face to face with a real-deal vamp, I had ruined everything. All of the researching and trying to find my mother's killer and about the Lockett curse. Vampires knew who I was now, _they_ knew my true name and that I knew about their existence just by the thoughts in my head!

And for all _I_ knew, I had looked right into the face of my mother's killer!

But wait, I reasoned with myself. Coming in contact with a vampire and not getting killed, isn't that what we've searched for all along, a vampire in the city? This is a true break in the mystery. It might have just been luck or the impossible idea of fate could have drawn me to that single vampire. I didn't have a name for him, but he did seem familiar now that my thoughts were settled enough to think straight. There had to be others, there had to be a coven within the city right under the publics nose!

Quickly I ran from the bathroom into the living room and looked through piles of scattered papers until I found something to write on. I began recording everything I could recall and all of my suspicions in a worn out notebook with several other notes I had taken; possible places for them to live, where they might be involved with society... I pulled out a large map of the city and drew a circle on the address of the mansion in red ink.

"One step closer to all of my answers, I'm sure." I muttered to myself with a grin. Perhaps I could go back there and ask a few questions..._You'd be asking for suicide,_ my mind told me. The sound of a ticking clock came to my ears as I shoved all of the papers into a messy pile on my coffee table. I wasn't the most organized person, especially (when glancing at the clock) 5:37 in the morning. Good thing it was my day off today and I could catch up on sleep, but I still had a party I had to show up for...

Without another scare from the dream that included icy blue eyes, I fell over on the couch and was asleep before another thought could race through my head.

Perhaps too soon, I awoke to a loud knocking coming from my front door. Startled by the noise, I rolled off of the couch and hit my head on the floor. Groaning, I sat up and slowly remembered why I was on the couch to begin with, all while that repetitive knocking kept emitting from the door. "Come on, Ally! Open up," a very cute and familiar voice called out.

Thinking there was something wrong or this must be high priority importance, I went to the door without trying to hide all of my suspicious vampire research spread out all over my living area. "What's wrong, Lucy?" I asked very groggy-like, opening the door and wiping sleep from my eyes all at once. When I focused them on her, she had a huge platinum grin spread across her face as she walked inside.

Lucy or Daniel had never been inside my apartment before. Part of that entire trying-to-keep-personal-life-a-secret-from-everyone-else issue I had. Her coming here was not something I needed right now. "Nothing, silly. I came to help you pick out something nice to wear for _your_ party tonight. And by "nice," I mean sexy." she explained. I noticed the suitcase she was carting around, probably full of clothes for her to dress me up in.

"Why didn't you call and let me know you were coming? My place is a mess." I said, quickly showing her to the kitchen. Motioning for her to stay, I jumped over to the living room and stacked away every book, paper and notebook with vampires as subjects. Honestly I could care less if she saw my messy home; but she couldn't see all of this private information no one should be sticking their nose in, including me.

"I did call. Ten times before I decided to just come over. I see now you were asleep, sorry to wake you." she replied innocently from the kitchen.

I cursed myself mentally; the cell phone was in my bedroom, where I wasn't asleep in. I shoved the last bit of paper behind my couch when she walked into the room. "No, no. It's fine. Sorry you have to see this mess..." My tone didn't match my words.

"God, Ally. Mess is an understatement!" Lucy exclaimed, setting her suitcase down on my coffee table as she looked around my tiny home and the endless piles of papers and trash laying everywhere. "You get three times as much yearly as I do and you live in an apartment three times wise than mine? I don't think you understand how numbers add up there." I blushed at the comparison, but quickly pointed at her suitcase before she could pry.

"What do you have for me?" I asked insistingly. A tone I did not usually have when Lucy knew I wasn't up for something. Normally when she wanted to come over or take me shopping or dress me up I was trying to avoid the event at all costs. Her eyebrow raised as she opened the case.

"Just a few things I know you'll hate because they'll show off your great body..."

"Great. You get them out, I'll try them on, and then you'll leave. I'm sure you have more important things to do than to be in my messy apartment..." I began walking around the table, acting strangely while Lucy pulled out clothes and looked at me.

"Hey..." she stood up and took hold on my arms. Instantly I stopped moving and speaking, and felt a little odd. "Is everything alright?" she asked straight-forward.

I looked up at her face with my deep blue eyes through my hair. I wanted so much to tell her what was going on, to let anyone know everything so they could help. Talking always made one feel better, they always said, but what could I say? _"No, I'm not fine. I'm a runaway heir with an obsession of vampires because they're the only lead I have in the solving of my family curse, which my husband will most likely die from when I get around to finding one and popping out a baby. Did I forget to mention I came face to face with a vampire just yesterday?"_

"Yes, I'm fine." I told her simply and broke away from her grasp. "Honestly. I'm fine. It's just really early and I'm so grateful that you and Daniel put this party together for me. Really; it'll be the first time I've celebrated my birthday in two years. I'm excited and I'm going to let you and him do whatever you want, even if that means dressing me in some slutty outfit." All the words I said were true, but it was shocking to actually _say_ them aloud.

Whatever I said must have pleased her, because her platinum grin returned and she began throwing an assortment of clothing at me. "Okay then, try this dress on!"

* * *

Nine o'clock came faster than I anticipated. All day I'd been trying to push the events of yesterday to the back of my head so I could enjoy one night, but that was easier said than done.

I arrived in front of the club in a cab, save myself from walking around town in the outfit Lucy managed to get me to wear. Don't get me wrong, I never complained (much) when I got to dress up for special events like tonight. But if parties were all about looking gorgeous and outshining every other lady in the house, Lucy had made me the goddess of all parties. Surprisingly I secretly loved the outfit; it was a simple sapphire blue dress that match my eyes and hugged all of my curves comfortably, was short enough to show off my legs but not too short for anyone to mistake me as a corner hoe; the top was very low cut and clung to my breasts, but there were silky straps that held the dress onto my shoulders. In regular jeans-and-tee without beauty products, I had a pretty face. But with the facial products, make-up and the classy dress; let's just say, when I looked in the mirror, I was a different person altogether.

Or Daniel's reaction once he saw me when I walked into the club, "Blimey Ally! You're bloody drop-dead gorgeous! If you weren't my friend I'd be going home with you tonight and we'd shag." he stated bluntly, followed by a smack in the head on Lucy's part. The blonde walked away to continue greeting the crowds arriving, which I was nervous about because I recognized over half of the faces. I hadn't realized I knew so many people before they were all gathered in one place.

"Most of the crowd is from the agency. Models, make-up artists and fellow photographers. Then maybe some people Lucy and I know and you don't. But they're applicable." Daniel told me, running his fingers through the curls in his hair.

I hardly looked at him, I was suddenly very overwhelmed with the amount of people here all excepting something from _me_. I suppose I shouldn't have been skiddish, considering if I'd been on the throne I was supposed to be on at the moment, this overwhelming feeling would be a daily routine for me. "Everyone is so pretty..." I said absentmindedly, looking around at the amount of models, both female and male, that were gathered over the area; clusters of people were drinking, dancing or just standing around talking.

Lucy returned as I stared in admiration at everyone else. "Oh Ally, stop being so modest. Enjoy yourself tonight! Danny, get her to the bar so she'll loosen up." she ordered.

I let myself be swept away by Daniel over to the bar. "One scotch for the birthday lass, and something strong for me." he ordered, slapping his palm on the marble counter top. I rolled my eyes.

"You know that alcohol goes right through me." He ignored me and handed me the drink, made a quick toast to many years to come, than chugged the drink. I sipped mine a little more gracefully; didn't want to get anything on the dress. "Fine. Ignore me all you want, but this isn't _just_ my night. Lucy will need a little supervision, maybe from someone like a friend...making sure she doesn't go home with the wrong kind of guy. Catch my drift?"

He choked on his drink. "Any perverted bloody wanker touches her-" I set my hand over his mouth, raising a brow to his profanity.

"Go sweep her off her feet. I promise I'll get crazy drunk and enjoy myself while you both aren't looking."My smile was sincere and he seemed to be pleased with me, because he marched off with a certain confidence he hadn't had earlier. Again, I rolled my eyes, but began to survey the crowd again. If I was going to enjoy myself, had to find someone I could start a conversation with...

I glanced over a certain area several times because I kept seeing something that was out of place. Every person seemed to be dancing about, chatting and being merry in movement, but my sight had caught somebody who was standing perfectly statuette. Leaned over a rail that overlooked the dance floor was a man with ice blue eyes. For just a moment our eyes met and my heart skipped a beat, but once I blinked, the man was gone. I wasn't quite sure then if my mind was playing tricks on me or if I had really saw what I did.

I closed my eyes and centered my thoughts just as I had been trying all day long. _You are freaked out from yesterday's encounter. Relax and enjoy your party._ It was amazing what mind over matter could do for a person, because after I opened my eyes, I suddenly saw the room in a whole new light. The overwhelmed feeling washed away and a more social side came out of me.

Somehow I managed to strike a few good conversations with a few models I had photographed more than once, including Felicia and her date from just yesterday at the agency. Throughout the jumping of conversations, I swear I kept seeing one distinct color: Icy Blue. A couple times they had been somebody's shirt, but the image of the eyes is what I could not scratch from my mind, no matter how much mental punishment I gave myself. Slowly but surely, I was driving myself up a wall.

"You look radiant tonight."

I turned around instantly, looking up at who had tapped me on the shoulder and sent a flattering compliment a little more appealing than _'Damn you're hot!'_ I almost sighed in relief when it was only the model Felicia and her date. "A friend of mine, who's a male model, wanted me to ask if you'd be interested in doing a shoot with he and Calvin Klein's newest bunch of girls next week."

I tried to relax my stature, but failed as I put a nervous hand on my neck and looked at her. "And who would this friend be?" Who in their right mind would want to discuss business at a birthday party?

"That would be me." A mesmeric voice from behind me was enough to send a shiver up my spine, but when a strong and rather cold hand touched my own hand on my neck, I nearly fell over in shock. Quickly the hand took hold of mine and spun me around so I could face the captivator.

Icy blue in his eyes was the only color I could see in that moment, and in the next my voice failed me in my thought to scream.

"Happy birthday, Allison."


	4. Chapter III

Note: Enjoy. Please R&R.

**Chapter 3 – Adrenaline**

My mental stability was rather complex. Disciplining the mind is very difficult, but the control one gains in the end is very useful. I acted completely pathetic for my first encounter with a vampire. I did not plan on acting like that ever again, even in the face of death himself. I would take whatever fate that was chosen for me bravely and gracefully, never plead for my life in a shallow pathetic attempt to live (Of course, it was always easy for one to tell themselves that).

Regardless, I was determined to keep my composure in front of _this _vampire. If he had wanted me, he would have taken me already. Simple as that.

Almost flaunting my sapphire eyes, I looked up to him. In all honesty, his face was more handsome than that of any human model I've ever seen. Blond hair curled just slightly over his eyes when his short hair had fallen over his face like it had now; the locks framed his eyes so perfectly it almost gave him the illusion of a soul able to draw a person in. His tall cheeks were shallow; his lips were thin and gently pressed upward into a smirk as he gazed down at my surprised stance. I didn't let these observations distract me, however.

He seemed to be playing civilized, so I would do the same, for Felicia watching. "My name is Ally." I replied sharply, "But thank you anyway." I added more gently, and tilted my head just slightly. His hands moved back down to his sides, but the little space between us did not grow. For a moment, his eyes flickered down and then met with mine again. I shuddered when thinking he had inspected my neck.

He became amused by my entire performance of serenity around an audience, compared to yesterday when it was one-on-one. "All the same, this night is yours tonight." he replied, smirk turning to a smile. His smile was thin and didn't reveal his teeth enough to see his fangs. If I hadn't known any better, it appeared he was...human.

Before another word could be said, he walked off into the crowd and disappeared among the jubilant bodies, leaving me speechless. Felicia grinned and winked at me, implying how _'well'_ she thought that had gone; and I simply rolled my eyes thinking of how ridiculous she would feel if she knew what that model really was. Next Lucy came and grabbed me, coaxing me up onto the platform in the middle of the room; a platform several birthday presents had been set on that managed to escape my notice before this point.

"Attention everyone! It's time to make a toast."

The toast for the occasion of the entire party had come. Lucy stood next to me on the platform and signaled for the music to silence and everyone to pick up their drink. I held a glass of champagne in my hand and looked out at the crowd; each person had their own glass in hand. "To Ally Lovett on her twenty-third birthday." Lucy announced proudly, raising her glass.

Again, the vampire with the icy eyes appeared in front of me, this time in the crowd with his own glass in hand. I noticed, and probably nobody else, that a red liquid filled his glass and I knew that red liquid was blood. "And many more." he added in a husky tone, his eyes almost mocking my age. Several clanging noises rang through the room, including Lucy's glass to mine, and all drank in the honor of my birthday.

I didn't drink at first; only stared as the handsome vampire made a motion of recognition towards me with the glass, than drank the blood red drink to its very last drop. A satisfied sigh came from his mouth after, followed by a grin that fully revealed his fangs.

And again, he was gone.

I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. I couldn't even down my drink; when attempting, my mind shot back to the blood and I spit the sweet champaign back into the glass and handed it to somebody who was in between Lucy and I.

"Luce," I began, trying to keep my voice down and my face relaxed, "who is that model with the short blond hair that is-"

"More gorgeous than any man alive?" Lucy finished for me.

_Nice choice of words,_ I thought. "I suppose."

"That'd be Luke, one of the newer male models. I invited him because I thought you and he would have some potential together." she announced happily.

Wonderful. My friend was trying to set me up with a vampire. "Thank you for the thought, Lucy. But I don't think it's going to work out." I replied flatly. _It doesn't have anything to the fact that for a first date, we could skip through the cemetery together admiring graves and instead of a first kiss we could share a friendly biting of the neck. And the second date: funeral grounds._

Lucy looked crushed. "Why not? I thought for sure not even _you_ could resist his looks... Have you met him yet?" she said in her innocent tone.

I tilted my head. "Yes, more than once I'm sorry to say. He's not my type." _I'd rather live._

The blonde looked at me in disagreement. "Everyone isn't your type. How can you deny his looks?"

_When my life is on the line._ "Appearance isn't everything." I stated simply. "Models were always too high-class for me anyway. His tastes are probably too rich and he'd get bored with me in a second. Just drop it."

Defeated, Lucy stomped off, hopefully to find Daniel and rant. Not even a full minute later, Daniel came strolling up to me slightly out of breath and looking rather dazed. "Blimey, I swear I had just seen you and Felicia walking out of the door together. Ran after the lass and...well, it very well wasn't _you_. Anywho, I wanted to ask if you knew what Lucy's plans were for the rest of the night."

I raised a brow at the odd explanation. "Another lady in a blue dress? Really, you should start looking up at women's faces more and less at their '_eyes.'_" I told him, than set a hand over my cleavage, which his eyes darted up from when I mentioned I noticed. He blushed under his dark curls. "Lucy went that way, that's all I know." I pointed. "But I'm heading home. It's passed midnight and I'm not feeling so well."

Daniel started moving the direction I pointed. "That's fine, go turn in. I'll cover a bit for you, if you want; keep Lucy distracted." The slight glint in his eyes told me of a more foreboding objective. I laughed to myself and shook my head. "And don't worry about all of the gifts, Luc' and me will bring 'em over later."

I thanked him before walking out. The rush of cool night air seemed to clear my senses. Any nausea I was experiencing lessened the more time spent in this refreshing evening setting. I decided walking alone in a nice dress and heels at night wasn't as bad idea; even if my mind was screaming _idiot, suicide_ at myself. What could I say, I took risks every now and then, probably more than one should, but at least I was still alive to account for them.

I walked through alleys and streets, taking the fastest route to my house. I was okay for the first few blocks, just trying to focus on getting home and not about the sickening and confusing events that had taken place with vampires these passed couple days. Finally I became very paranoid; and it wasn't because I was afraid of the dark, but even the bravest of people have to be apprehensive of what's lurking around the corner. There was a gloomy, ominous feeling whichever direction I went. My own heels against the pavement was the only out-of-place sound I could hear, but the hairs on my neck were standing on end.

The faster I walked, the more fearful and more horrible I felt. So many ridiculous thoughts swam through my head now, making it worse; things like any sort of human or vampire jumping out at me. I did know a bit of self defense, but nothing useful against the supernatural. I thought of the vampire Luke and how he might be the one giving me this paranoia, stalking me like a lion does its prey.

Suddenly I screamed when the lid of a trashcan clobbered to the ground, but stopped when I saw it was only a stray cat scavenging for food. I tried to calm myself the best I could as I began walking again and now I was regretting not taking a cab.

I laughed silently to myself; I was acting pathetic again. _This entire night has been something else. Just get home and take a nice long shower in the morning... _Relaxing thoughts. Nothing was wrong and everything was alright.

The very ominous and threatening atmosphere swept back over me when I turned the corner. The only street light was flickering here, making monsters of shadows and then to darkness again. Taking a deep breath, I held my arms across my chest and continued on.

The street light turning on and off again kept at an uneven sequence as my heels made hollow sounds on the damp cement. I kept my eyes straight ahead of me, concentrating only on getting to my destination.

That was until I felt another pair of eyes on me. Getting an instinctual shiver, I immediately stopped and looked up, and the light flickered off again.

Almost instantly the bulb began to illuminate again and I surveyed the small alley built behind me. There was a simple dumpster surrounded by smaller trashcans with plastic bags full of garage littering the ground around them.

The light flickered on and off again, and this time my eyes focused around a body leaning on the pile of garbage bags next to the canisters.

My body tensed and my nose wrinkled at the smell. Could they have been watching me, just as intently?

The streetlight flickered again.

I found myself walking closer. Perhaps, due to the position they were laying in, that it was a person who was hurt? They made no sounds, no movements; only lay on the garage with outstretched arms and legs as if the mounds of waste were a comfortable bean-bag chair.

The thought crossed my mind to speak and ask if the lifeless person was alright. No sound would produce when my mouth opened. I quickly closed it and continued closer until only a yard separated the body from mine.

Instant darkness and then instant light.

My eyes focused on the yellow dress clinging to the body of a woman. A familiar woman when surveying her perfectly shaped legs ruined by several fresh and bleeding slits and canine bite marks; one leg twisted unnaturally to the left. The dress was destroyed with tears and stained with blood; it hardly covered any important areas. Her thin twisted arms were strewn over the garbage, covered in more wounds than her legs and a different kind of bite mark; two fangs breaking into the skin. The lovely tan Latino skin was disgraced; she was still so alive with blood oozing but obviously dead.

I cringed when my mind tried to produce what had happened to this poor woman.

I gasped shakily when skipping her neck and looking to her face; she was familiar in her dress and beautiful build because she was somebody I knew. Somebody named Felicia. A model I had spent a good chunk of my night with. Her eyes told the story of her death as they stared wide, lifeless yet with so much fear, open to see through like a mirror into the world of the living from the realm of the afterlife. The most gorgeous dark hair fell in blood soaked tangles around her shoulders.

This drew my attention to her neck. Two prominent fang-like marks bruised her skin there; hardly any blood leaked from the wound, like it was cleaned thoroughly. Her collarbone was sharp and protruding, but carved mercilessly into the soft skin at the base of the neck was a word I had to squint my eyes to read clearly.

'V-E-N-G...E? A-N-C-E' Some letters were hard to make out but the point was very crystal clear to me after a moment.

My mother and this model shared a killer. There was no possible way that the word _'Vengeance'_ left with the bodies were a coincidence among vampires, among any killer with a signature.

Again, the light flickered into darkness, and this time stayed in darkness.

The adrenaline was pumping faster than my mind was working. I was scared but at the same time had a breakthrough in my entire investigation to find my mother's killer. I took more deep breaths, did not move an inch in the darkness and only counted the seconds before the light came back on. I felt an unmeasurable amount dread when light cast my shadow over Felicia's body, who had not changed a hair, but my eyes now darted up to a new presence standing at the end of the alleyway.

A man, thin and tall, wearing a long dark jacket that reached his calves and swished violently back and forth as he came closer with unmistakable speed, so that it looked as if was wasn't walking at all.

The adrenaline began rushing through my legs, turning my body the opposite direction to run even though I knew it was completely useless against a vampire's speed. I didn't know what to do; I could have been running from the murder, I could only have moments to live!

I didn't know what else to do besides carry myself away as fast as I humanly could!

And naturally in this panic, I would twist my legs and fall over my own feet. I closed my eyes and covered my head with my hands. I felt numbness wash over my body, mostly because I was so convinced this was the end. Oh, why had I lingered so long with the dead!

I waited. I waited so long the numbness was slowly withering away and the pain of falling over into the cement had set in. My eyes shot open, body shaking slightly, and I looked up into the backside of a man who seemed to be defending me from the vampire dressed in the long overcoat, and I recognized the short blonde hair atop his head as Luke's.

Looking at the ground eye-level, I saw the tall and thin vampire's feet walking very slowly over to Felicia's mangled body lying in the trash.

"Taylor." Luke said with no sure emotion.

"Lucas." the other vampire replied politely. There was a darkness underneath the manners. "If the human is no relation to you, I would feel better if you disposed of her properly." I felt my body slowly going numb again, my voice refused to follow the will I gave it. The little adrenaline running through my veins still hoisted my body back unto two legs, where I stood in total awe with the meeting of these two vampires.

"She is with me." he told the other vampire protectively, a low growling in his throat. I could see his shoulders tensing as he stood in front of me, as if shielding me from a danger.

The other vampire surveyed Luke and then me from afar, before he seemed unphased and turned back to Felicia's body. A cell phone had found its way to his hand from his pocket and he began speaking into the device. "I need a clean up crew in the Gaddsbury alley for a victim, killed by _her_." He paused. "Yes, I am sure it wasn't from the covens and it was _her_, that is why I am calling you to get rid of every shard of evidence from human eyes until we apprehend her." he spat angrily.

I was bewildered. My eyes were wide as I stood and listened to the tall vampire and tried to make heads or tails of what he was talking about. I had so many questions that I wanted answers for but as soon as Luke turned around to face me, my mind went blank out of fear.

The tall vampire glanced our way when he was finished on the phone. "Lucas, make sure she doesn't interfere anymore. I'd hate to see the poor mortal have...an accident."

When Luke was defending me a moment ago, I felt relatively safe behind his sturdy build. But now that he was facing me with a very stony and serious expression, I lost most of my composure and melted under his eyes. There was a weakness I felt under him I'd never felt before; so weak my legs gave out and he quickly caught me, face so close to mine I could feel the curled hair tickling my forehead.

"Forget everything you've seen, Allison."

I didn't have a chance; I couldn't even scream before the vampire called Luke pressed a strong hand on the base of my neck and I fell into darkness.


	5. Chapter IV

Note: It's been awhile, yeah. Sorry about my lame consistency, I shouldn't have started writing up on two of my other stories while starting this one.

**Chapter 4 – Without a Trace**

_I grinned and danced jubilantly within the crowd of people. A catchy tune was playing and I felt beautiful in the blue dress that decorated my body. Suddenly a tall mirror appeared in front of me and showed to me the reflection of myself and how gorgeous and happy I looked right in this moment. Vainly I raised a hand to wave and wink at myself, but the reflection didn't follow. Confused, I looked dumbfounded into the glass and watched as the woman's expression in the mirror grew darker, hair turned lighter, and two fangs grew out of the mouth that had opened to hiss at me. My reflection was no longer me, yet it still resembled my image. Gasping, I turned from the mirror and was startled by Felicia's broken body falling over on me. I held out my arms in defense and her body disappeared in a misty vapor at my touch. Luke immediately appeared in her place; he was rather calm-looking compared to my frightened self. With my heart racing, his icy eyes stared intently at me and a huge smile appeared on his face which showed his own fangs. I screamed as he tore the blue material of my sleeve and sank those teeth into my neck._

Drenched in sweat, I awoke denying the nightmare in a scream. The moon was more full tonight and the light from it spilled into my room through an open window. I jumped up from the sheets that seemed to have been laid over my body and felt a shiver run down my spine from the cold outside and quickly closed the window.

_It's just a dream, it's only a dream..._ I repeated over and over to myself; my heart pounded in my chest as I stumbled to the bathroom once again. "Fucking nightmares. Why do humans have to have fears? God, this is pathetic!" I was shouting and slamming my fists on the sink until at last I looked at myself and what I was wearing; the nice blue dress Lucy had lent me, torn at the sleeve. I felt a repetitive feeling wash over my senses as I checked my body for any bite marks or wounds, just as last night. I had none, merely a bruise and a scrape that looked relatively fresh on my shoulder. _What the...?_ Suddenly, what had happened before I had awoken from the nightmare flooded my memories in a whirlwind. The party, the blond vampire with the icy eyes, the _dead body, _the other vampire Luke addressed as Taylor...

Splashing my face with water, I suddenly felt paranoid when thinking about how I'd gotten back in my home once I'd been knocked out. With apprehension in my eyes, I looked around my tiny apartment before feeling satisfied that I found no vampire. Turning all of the lights on, just because it was a pathetic way to help me feel better, I planted myself on the couch and tore out my journal and map from the mess just as I had the night before. _Lucas, new model at agency; address circled on map. Relations with Taylor._ My pen was in my hand and all of the information I could put into words was being scribbled on a new page. _Felicia, new model at agency, murdered by the killer with _Vengeance _as signature._ A water droplet fell off the tip of my nose and stained the word 'Vengeance' after I'd written it.

I watched as the wet ink spread in vein-like in the small diameter of the droplet. The pen seemed to keep recording my thoughts, even as my eyes focused on that one word. Was I slowly becoming crazed after meeting Luke and seeing Felicia's body?

_Taylor, vampire seeking the culprit who's signature is Vengeance. Knows Lucas. The culprit's gender has been revealed as a female... _I wrote next. Grabbing for my red pen, I circled Gaddsbury alley and labeled it as Felicia's Body scene.

For several minutes I looked over what I had wrote, what I had written prior to tonight and what I had circled on the map. I had found out so much in such a short time... I almost couldn't believe how deep I was penetrating the world of the undead. "I'll need to keep going if I want to find the identity of the murderer... at least I know she's female, if I believe that vampire..." My mind recalled, very clearly, when the vampire called Taylor mentioned "_Yes, I am sure it wasn't from the covens and it was her," _This proved that the vampires knew who the killer of my mother was _and_ there certainly were other vampires in the city.

My heart had calmed to a slow beating as exhaustion took over me again. It was nearly dawn but still much too early to be awake, and naturally I had work the next day... I would look at the news for Felicia's murder in the morning and find out all I can from the reporters I had ties with, and I would continue my dangerous investigation, no matter how foolish I was for going as deep as I had already.

As for waking up in my own bed, the last thing I remember was Luke's face over mine... _He must have brought me back here without harming me. _This thought surprised me; a vampire who wouldn't harm a human? Even _I_ knew I was easy prey, the vampire surely would have realized it too. My thoughts traveled to my birthday party and meeting Luke face to face right in the middle of a public event, everything before my walk home...

Trying to recall something important about Felicia, I failed and fell back to sleep on the couch.

* * *

As soon as my alarm went off in the other room later that morning, I kicked myself awake. Quickly I showered and got dressed, I threw my hair into a bun and turned on the Tv while getting breakfast. Bowl of cereal in hand, I sat on the couch and checked out the latest news to see if there was any story on Felicia. "Kira Davis – News Reporter" read the bottom of the screen as the reporter stood in front of a rainy backdrop outside of a crime scene near the park on Ave. 10 and White.

"What can only be described as a hideous attack done to these innocent people; a young mother, Tina Roberts and her 10-year-old son Christopher. Their bodies were discovered early this morning right outside the main road. Investigators have no suspects but the evidence of several wounds caused by canine teeth were found on both bodies. Animal specialists say that the marks came from the rare gray wolf, but authorities have no claim to any wolves escaping from the zoo and this species of wild animals are banned from city limits and not native to..."

I groaned and changed the channel to another news station, looking for something found on the body of Felicia. There were a couple stories reported right around Gaddsbury alley, anyone there should have found her body if it was still there! _Maybe you missed the story. _My mind thought simply. I nodded, speaking to myself. "Right, right... It's 25 till, the news was already halfway over when you turned it on."

I finished my bowl of cereal then sprang up to finish getting ready for work. There would be plenty of information there. Felicia was a model at the agency and her managers would notice if she were missing or know about her tragedy.

I jogged to work, eager to get the scoop on the human side of the Latinos' murder. Finding no one who seemed to know about her on the way to my desk, I set my things down and took a moment to look around the agency.

The first person to catch my gaze was Daniel, who strolled right up to my desk with a huge smirk on his lips. He looked rather cheerful. "Ask me how it went after you left last night."

I gulped when thinking about how it'd gone for me, but held my interested expression and asked him. "Lucy and you, something happen?"

"Naturally I caught her in the ladies restroom and we snogged for a long while. Nothing too fancy." he told me. I hit my own forehead while listening to his attitude toward the event. He could turn any situation into a light-hearted news report. "After that I drove her home with all of your gifts. It's her day off today, so I told her to bring them over after you get off work."

I was happy for him. Pleased for him and knowing I'm be hearing Lucy's side soon; but at my apartment? That would be a problem. "Please don't tease her. Knowing Lucy, she'll be in shock around you for a few days. Confused on emotions, thinking negatively and asking me for advice."

Daniel grinned, giving me a wink with hazel eyes. "Put in a good word for me and I will be eternally grateful."

I laughed light heartedly at his enthusiasm, but the lack of depression in his mood and obvious presence in mine worried me. Had he not heard about the murder of Felicia? "On a darker note... have you heard anything...odd or disturbing about anyone lately?"

His smile faded as he looked at me curiously. "That's a rather suspicious way to phrase a question, Ally." I shrugged and set my chin on my hands, anticipating an answer. "Well, yes actually, although I don't think it's disturbing, it's just sort of odd. Might be nothing at all." he continued. "I just overheard before I came in here to talk to you. One of the models, Felicia Gonzales didn't show up for an important shoot this morning. I heard her managers saying how they don't know where she is and she's not picking up her phone. Everyone in the crew is getting apprehensive and angry and starting to make up stories about where she is. Probably just late to work from a hang over at your party last night."

I slammed my hands down on my desk, my eyes wide as I heard Daniel describing the situation from outside eyes to me. _Nobody knows. _I thought with disbelief.

"Ally, what's wrong; did I say something?"

Totally ignoring him, I stood from my seat and stormed out of the building. I might have been labeled as crazed on the walk home today; I was yanking newspapers from every stand along the way, I was asking people is they'd heard about a murder of a young model. When I got back to my apartment and still found nothing, I was calling my sources with news crews and reporters, asking if they'd done a story about Felicia. There had been nothing about Felicia's death. Nothing. Not one tiny article in the newspapers, not one whisper of it in the street.

Feeling desperate, I retraced my steps back to Gaddsbury alley and was shocked to find it completely empty. Not one trace of a canister, street rat, or so much as a piece of trash was left to tell a tale. Awestruck, I started walking back to my apartment and had forgotten about the rest of the world, my work, and my co-workers in that moment.

I knew I had not dreamed the entire sequence of finding Felicia since there was a small scrape on my shoulder to prove I'd fallen in the alleyway. Walking through the streets, my eyes lit ablaze as I thought over how no human could know. So that vampire called Taylor, who ordered the clean-up crew, got rid of all evidence and the body before the media could even get a whisper? This made my mind start wondering; how many more people could this have happened to, how many human beings had just been cleaned off the face of the earth by their vampire murderers and been striped of their entire existence? I was beyond anger. Just like they did with my mother, they were going to get away with covering up murder. There _had_ to be something I could do.

Hurrying up the several flights of stairs, I rushed back into my apartment and reminded myself to call the agency and request a day off. (I had plenty of vacation time.) I had a missed call from Daniel when looking at my cell phone, I began to listen to the message he left. "_Ally! I'm sorry if I said anything to offend you this morning. If you feel responsible for Felicia's lateness, don't worry! I'm sure she's peachy. Although, I went back over to the shoot and her managers were bugging out about her not being in her hotel room either... but besides that! Lucy said she was dropping by later today with the birthday gifts. Please call me back."_ Listening to his thick English voice tell me that Felicia was still not found, and she was just peachy otherwise, worried me even more. Not even her managers knew what had happened, much less where she was! If the vampires did a good job in cleaning up, there would soon be a missing person's report filed soon.

This thought sent a little red flag up in my head. I wanted to help, did I not? I suddenly thought of something I could do to threaten the vampire's influence on human lives and expose vampire secrets in subliminal messages through Felicia's murder.

I trashed my home even more while I looked for Felicia's portfolio, the one full of pictures I did for the shoot with her just days before. Finding it and all of the gorgeous pictures of the Latino model inside, I returned Daniel's call.

"Hello? Daniel; no, I don't hate you. Yes; I'm fine! I just, I thought I should blame myself if anything were to happen to Felicia, it was my party after all. ... No! Don't blame yourself. Like you said, she could just be late to work or at a friend's place after leaving the party." It was better if I didn't tell anyone about what really happened, for their own safety right now.

"_Right! She did leave with a lass when I saw her. The lass I thought was you..."_

"Yeah! See? It's probably nothin-" I cut my sentence short.

My dream; where saw a darker image of someone who resembled me in the mirror. Felicia leaving with a woman who looked like me but wasn't. Both of these were separate suspicious things that could be pieced together into the next step of my investigation. _No_, my dream was only a dream and the chances that my mother's murderer left a club with a model were very slim.

"_'Ello, Ally? You there?"_

I shook myself from my thoughts to answer him. "Yeah. Look, I'm not coming back to work. I don't feel so well."

"_Oh. You want me to tell Lucy not to come by?"_

I paused a moment, looking over the pictures of Felicia in the folder. "Yes. It's better for her not to come today. I'll get them when I have time, don't worry about me."

The call ended after that and I immediately began choosing the perfect picture for the idea I was going to make a reality. There was one elegant photo I required that I like very much; Felicia was looking straight into the camera with a passion behind her eyes. Her head tilted upward slightly and thin body arched to show the power she commanded in that frame.

There was an entirely different world to be viewed through a camera lens, I thought as I set the image aside and began to think about what I would want to say to expose the influence vampires held in society.

After several hours of designing, let's just say on my brighter days, dark creations can spring up.

I looked at the finished product and grinned, very satisfied with my work. I called Daniel again for an update on Felicia's situation.

"_She hasn't showed up all day and no one knows where she is. Her managers filed a missing persons report after waiting 12 hours; either this is really bloody serious or these blokes are overreacting." _he told me.

Just what I wanted to hear. "Keep me updated, I want to make sure she's safe." I felt more horrible each time I had to lie to the poor boy.

After I printed out the original page and took my idea somewhere to be enlarged and pasted on every wall in the city, every vampire would know that the secret was out. The secret of corruption vampires had in the human justice system, the secret of covered murders and erasing humans from existence. I knew, in the back of my mind, how dangerous and risky this was. If any vampires figured out I knew so much and was threatening to expose them, I was as good as dead.

Somehow that fact didn't bother me as nightfall had taken over the city and the creation I made was pasted to several walls in the city. Hadn't taken too long to print the copies and hire people to hang them up for me... I stood in the crowded area of main street with my hands buried in the pockets of a coat with the hood drawn up over my face and stared directly at a large poster hanging on the wall next to a busy walk way.

The poster was 2 feet by 3 feet, was titled 'HAVE YOU SEEN THIS WOMAN?' at the top in bold letters, then the stunning picture of Felicia below it. In red letters of a different font below the womans picture, tilted such a way the words looked as if they were written on after the poster was made, was 'HER BODY LIES IN ASHES SPRINKLED OVER THE BLOOD OF THE DARK CHILDREN.' At the bottom, read in smaller text, 'DO NOT LET HER BE FORGOTTEN.'

I smiled rather pridefully as my work clung to the city walls near main street and in several alleyways along the way. Vampires everywhere in the city would get the message, I knew. I watched a small crowd passing by point at the sign and discuss it among themselves.

I was sure only the ones who needed to understand, _would_ understand.

The city lights on my back, I checked a local news stand one more time to look for a hint of the publics' knowledge of the murder. The only murder in the papers at all, again, was the wolf attack I heard about on the news in the morning. Sighing, I looked at the magazines next to the newspaper at the stand and noticed a pair of icy blue eyes staring back. Of course, this time it was from the cover of a male magazine rather than in reality. Giving the seller the money, I took both the paper and the magazine, curious to see how the vampire model was doing in the human world of business.

Reading over his article and how 'successful' the business thought Luke would become, I hailed a cab and made my way back to my apartment, knowing well the consequences for my actions today wouldn't be positive.


	6. Chapter V

Note: Did I ever mention how much I love my readers who REVIEW? It really helps to keep the story going. Like, a lot.

**Chapter 5 – Gifted Memories**

The remainder of the night after last, with my birthday party and all of the inadvertent events that followed, was unsettling. If I took a moment to reflect on my entire situation, which I didn't feel up to doing, I mis well have just jumped out of the window of my apartment and chosen my own death instead of succumbing to a fate decided by somebody else. Without denying anything, I was simply a runaway heir with an obsession with creatures that saw me as part of the _food supply, _and I had hired people to hang posters up around the city that basically said to those creatures "Hi, all you can eat blood bank here!"

With that thought bubbling on the top of my head I couldn't quite fall to sleep. I let out a long sigh as I lay in my bed, staring up at the ceiling. Of course there was a foreshadowing feeling that once I did close my eyes, I would only awake with another nightmare about a certain vampire I couldn't figure out. I grabbed the magazine he was on the cover of and looked at it closely. The vampire called Lucas with enchanting blue eyes and a personality that demanded attention. From what I'd perceived of him so far, he was drop-dead gorgeous (pardon the pun) and one moment he was playing human, and the next he was a protector! Nothing added up with him, so I decided to excuse him from my thoughts altogether.

That's when a knock came from my front door.

I was slightly startled, and my mind contemplated who could be knocking at (when glancing at the clock) nearly 11pm.

Standing from my bed and moving to the poor excuse for a living room, I moved cautiously to the door and looked through the peep hole. Blonde hair from a familiar female caught my eye; Lucy was standing impatiently outside with a worried expression on her face. Quickly I opened the door, wondering what was so important she needed to come over at this hour, since I always implied coming over in person was never a good idea with _anyone_.

"Ally! Are you feeling better?" she asked, stepping inside once again without me inviting her. It was now I saw the purpose of her visit; several colorful bags were fisted in her hands, each filled with tissue paper or swirly ribbon. I almost rolled my eyes when I glanced outside in the hall and there were _more_.

"Lucy, what's all this?" I knew perfectly well they were my birthday gifts but the question should have been worded _"Lucy, why are you here?"_

"Well, I figured since you weren't feeling well, I thought I'd bring the birthday gifts over. Looks like you have a lot of secret admirers!" she exclaimed. I watched as she piled the bags next to the couch in the living room.

"Wonderful." I said with little enthusiasm, but enough to tell her I appreciated the thought.

"Quit being so modest, Alley!" She always told me that. "You're easily ten times more beautiful than most of the models we see everyday, and that's on a bad day for you! I still think you should be in front of the camera, not behind it." the blonde confessed to me with a sparkle in her aqua eyes.

I blushed; I never took compliments well. Which was probably why I was so modest and too stubborn to admit it. "I like my job, thank you. Catching perfection on film rather than wasting myself on it."

Lucy shook her head, unhappy with my denial. "It'd be so easy for you to get a boyfriend, and yet..." She meant to silently refer to my single status. I began to shoo her from my apartment after that comment. "If you have enough stamina to argue with me, then you're well enough to come into work tomorrow." she teased. "And I told you Luke was interested!"

I froze and stopped trying to push her out of my apartment. "Excuse me?"

Lucy pointed to the single rose (which was wilting slightly from being a day old) in a small hand-painted vase she'd carried in while I was 'being modest,' as she called it. "It's from him. The card doesn't lie!"

My gaze connected with the rose, blood red in color, and didn't show any signs of breaking away. Lucy snickered to herself and bid me goodnight before showing herself out. "Get well; I'll see you tomorrow!"

I blinked when I heard the door close; by instinct I quickly went to lock it behind her. "Goodnight!" I shouted back, sight still on the flower.

Moving closer, my sapphire eyes moved from the deep red petals to the vase where the card was attached. The card simply said "Love from Luke" but that meant little compared to what was painted on the tiny vase. A smaller, less complex version of the Lockett family emblem was carefully crafted to wrap around it. It was unmistakable considering who I was _really_.

My eyes sparkled as I looked at it and the wilting rose, admiring but at the same time appalling. I silently cursed the vampire Luke for knowing so much about me and reminding me ever so constantly about who and what I was trying to hide from.

I suppose it was expected; the past always seemed to catch up with a person; it was only a matter of time for me.

After a few fruitless minutes of staring, I glanced at the other gifts and was already planning on what to say in the thank you cards to each and every individual who gave me something, no matter how useless. (It was only polite, and the way I was raised). I turned my back to the rose and began to dig through the other things; mostly cards and gift cards to places I rarely ever shopped, maybe an accessory or two; nothing huge or personal from anyone (besides Luke) for the reason that no one knew anything personal of me. I appreciated them all none the less and guessed that Lucy had already looked through most of them before me.

As soon as I turned my body around, my sight was captured by the rose and my family emblem once again. I looked over the symbol carefully again, and it was then I gave in to my temptation to reminisce in my past. I walked into my room and pulled out a box from under my bed. The container was no bigger than a shoe box but it was filled with several small trinkets I'd collected after my mother died. My first dog's collar, a locket my parents had given me with pictures of our family inside, a tattered old fairytale book passed down to me in my family, a smaller version of my home country's flag, a small perfume-bottle filled with the aroma of a flower grown only back home, and a maroon leather-bound diary with my family's crest charred into the cover. I picked out the diary and unbinded the belt-like lock, opened the first page and glanced at my father's tribute written on the cover page. _'May the curse be lifted and our love last a lifetime.'_ read his scribble-like handwriting. The tribute was to my mother; he'd given this blank book to her when he was sick, hoping she'd write in it about her rule over the kingdom after he was gone.

See, he was the one with the Lockett blood, not my mother. The lack of the inherited Lockett leader traits were probably the reason she fled to America when I was only a girl. From the little I remember of him, I recall respecting his accepting nature towards death. He didn't believe in the Lockett curse, but humored it accordingly, even as he lay ill on his deathbed.

Turning the page, I read over the first entry my mother had written. It was horribly depressing and never lessened from any of the few times I'd forced myself to read her personal thoughts. Dated the day after my father died, she described how she knew she wouldn't be able to handle what duties he had left her with as time went on, but she would try her best for him. She described how, even thought she loved my father, had wished she'd married a different man so that_ I_ would not have to suffer the pain she did by losing the love of her life. (She believed in the curse every day after my father passed on).

In the later entries she'd written, when we still resided in our homeland, she described how her _'aching heart's supports were weakening with each passing day'_ as she looked upon me and how I was learning all of the skills the royal family was supposed to have. Side-saddling, archery, fencing, proper public display... She described how she took joy in my every accomplishment but was secretly saddened by my ambition since it was a trait both me and my father exhibited. _'She reminds me of him more everyday.'_

Now sitting on the edge of the bed, I skipped ahead to the parts about how she began planning on alternatives to the life she held as Queen. _'I am trying hard to hold out until Allison is 21 and can inherit the throne, but a decade is too long for my fingers to stretch out without falling into the bleak ending my late husband has come to grasp.'_ She then wrote down her options; death from this life or running away from this life. Running away was the better alternative she decided, and the next entry comes in from America.

I stopped reading after that first entry from America, I always did.

I already knew most of what she thought once we came to the states. After leaving the country in plausible hands of a council, she managed to get us into witness protection and gain different identities and a new, simple life where I finished growing up and made a life for myself. Anything was possible with a large sum of money my father left for us; aside from the official 'Lockett Royal Riches' I was supposed to inherit when I turned 21. No one had an address to send the inheritance statement to, so the back account lies idle back in my homeland, waiting for any Lockett to claim the riches and the throne. (Too bad I was the only one left and had no intention just yet of going back).

Perhaps it was fates such as my mothers' and my fathers' why I didn't wish to return. What I saw when I thought of home was death and despair, demanding and decisions. And like my mother, after watching my father die to illness, I very well believed in the family curse. Until I figured out how to break it I wasn't going back. I doubt my kingdom would want me anyway; I'd been gone for so long, the next royal family in line to rule probably was waiting for a break like this to happen so they could claim the throne.

I sighed aggressively and binded the book closed again before putting it back in the box and setting the memories back under my bed. The clock read passed midnight... too exhausted to be troubled with the dangers I set upon myself, I glanced at the rose one last time, its the lovely red petals withering at the edges, before falling asleep.

_I stood in a long white hallway with several doors along the walls. I went to each one of the doors in order, curious to what was on the other side of each one. The first few doors showed memories of myself when I was younger and in my homeland. I was learning archery in one, struggling with my persistent instructor. He yelled constantly and was always swatting my elbow up. In another, one of my kinder instructors was teaching me side-saddling. I watched myself trying to cheat several times through the lesson, and finally she promised we could race later if I did it right. I moved to the next door, where in this one I was practicing yoga with my mother and a couple of the servants. Further I walked, the older I was. The second-to-last door was my mother and I boarding the plane to America, but the last door was a blinding light mixed in with several abrupt images. I was overwhelmed, not processing what I was being shown before suddenly two strong hands came and pulled me out of the room by my wrists, closed the door and pushed me against it. The hands belonged to a man who's face had come very close to my own as their body pressed against me; I looked directly into the blue eyes of Luke before his lips meshed over mine._

I awoke from this dream at the same time my alarm went off in the morning. Flustered and bewildered, I stumbled for a third time to the bathroom and looked at myself, splashed water on my face and questioned my sanity. My mind raced; I held my head and walked into the living room.

My eye immediately caught sight of the small vase Lucy brought last night from Luke. The small detail that made me freeze and continue to question my sanity was the fresh new red rose that had replaced the old.


	7. Chapter VI

Note: I should really find some names for the city and Allison's country... I'm afraid of putting names in case I have to research and find out what its like in that place to make this story accurate. Anywho, longer chapter for you all! REVIEW.

**Chapter 6 – The Seer**

I rested my head against the glass of the window; my sapphire eyes gazed out over the city as the sunlight casted down on the people and buildings below. My wheat highlighted hair hung loosely to the right side of my face; I ran a hand through it and lifted the strands back over my head as a long and troubled sigh fell from my lips. I set my arm above me and centered my forehead on the pane. The sun warmed it and my skin as I stood completely still, taking a moment to settle my nerves. I thought calmly over what troubled me most in this moment; since I had just woken up, it was the dreams that had plagued my astral plane the past three nights. It was very odd, the dreams were so crystal clear to me and I remembered every detail unlike most dreams where the dreamer forgets what they saw in minutes; I had even woken up thirsty the first night where I saw a vampire had bitten my neck! There was no evidence that might prove the dream was real after I awoken, however. And even more troubling, the vision-like dreams only started after I'd come in contact with the vampire Lucas.

As I finished thinking about what troubled me most right now, I stopped looking at the urban landscape and sat back down on the mat set on the floor in front of my bed. I crossed my legs, straightened my back, and closed my eyes ever-so gently and began to meditate.

For several minutes I sat perfectly statuette, clearing my mind and trying to focus on what I really needed to do in my life; meditation was a very effective stress-controlling exercise, but required complete confluence of mind, body and soul. The Tv in the living room spoke a key phrase to me that broke my concentration. "...This is the third wolf attack in the past few days... Kira, what do you think the city will do about this disturbing problem?"

My eyes opened as I listened for Kira Davis' reply. "Right now, the city is doing everything it can, Ryan. Once again, animal specialists are on the ball trying to figure out why a wolf of rarity would attack humans and could survive in the city without someone noticing or catching the animal by now. Police has set up search teams with animal control to stabilize the creature, but all search dogs have hit dead ends..."

I stood and walked into the living room to see. "...latest victim to these attacks was 16 year old Claire Dawson. I'd advise the public to stay indoors during night hours or take a form of transportation other than walking in the streets where this killer prowls. This is Kira Davis..." I put the Tv on mute and made my way to the shower.

I made sure the water was steaming before stepping in; I needed a hot shower from all of the events I had caught myself in the past few days. I relished in the feeling of the burning hot water hitting my skin, numbing me if only for a few minutes before the heat ran out and I was finished. After stepping out and wrapping a towel around my body, I ran my hand across the steamed mirror and looked at my image.

I had avoided looking at myself any other time besides when I woke up from a startling dream, I wasn't sure if I was afraid of what I_ was_ going to see or of what I_ wasn't_ going to see. Alas, I looked the same as I usually did, almost; there was just slightly darker bags under my eyes than normal from sleep loss.

My cellphone ringing interrupted my inspection; I pulled my towel tighter around my body and went to answer it. The caller ID read 'Boss,' who was my boss at the agency, I just never called him by his real name 'Mr. Gay' because it sounded so...

Well, anyway. "Yes boss?" I answered.

"_Have I caught you before you've come in? I just got the message only minutes ago, Calvin Klein's training models rescheduled."_

I hurried over to the kitchen where my planner sat and scrambled to open it and look at what times I had written for a photo shoot today. "When is the new time?"

"_Just come in around 7 o'clock tonight, I hear the male model they have collaborating is known for being _fashionably_ late. And hey, I want you to be careful. I know you walk to the agency and there has been wolf attacks reported on the news, so take a cab or something."_

"Will do, boss. I'll be safe. Thank you for calling."

The call ended and I looked at my new schedule. Great, now I had plenty of time today to do absolutely nothing until seven. After this, I shivered when taking in the fact I was standing half nude and damp in my freezing kitchen. I began to walk to the bedroom to get clothing on, but the damn vase and rose caught my eyes again. Getting irritated with it's constant reminder, I shoved the thing behind a mound of books on my coffee table and ran to get dressed.

After this, I decided I'd look in the papers once more for anything on Felicia and thought of something else to take up time today before I had to go into work.

* * *

The sun was slightly covered by thin strips of clouds today as I went along the sidewalk. A slight wind caught my free-flowing hair every now and then when I turned corners, avoiding bumping into people and getting hit by cars when I ran across the streets instead of at crosswalks.

Unfortunately as I expected, nothing was in the paper about Felicia except a small missing person ad. I hoped in the next few days a real story would be published, but for now at least a missing ad had been published, proving at the very least the young woman existed.

On my way back to Gaddsbury Alley, the cleaned murder scene, I noticed my own missing posters were still hanging up around the city in the places I'd ask the workers to put them. Seeing those, I was just slightly relieved. If they were still there, that possibly meant the vampires of the city didn't know I had made the posters or they felt it wasn't a threat. I was hoping the first. When I arrived inside the alleyway again, it was still just as empty as it was yesterday; minus the missing person poster I made sure was hung in this particular alley.

Covering some old graffiti, the poster, that I could only assume the workers had hung in perfect condition, was ripped to shreds. 'HAVE YOU SEEN TH-' was all that remained of words pasted to the brick wall with part of Felicia's face. The rest of the picture looked like it has been destroyed by... a creature. _Perhaps the killer came back._ The torn pieces littering the ground seemed to have been made from claws and teeth of some sort, and it didn't seem like a vampire's doing.

Puzzled, I left the pieces to litter the ground and went along my way to my next destination.

I had all day, I miswell try and find someone who could tell me about my dreams. True city dwellers knew the best places to find the best stuff was in the downtown small-shop districts. Whether it was rare foods, personal art...or fortune tellers, I knew I could find what I was looking for downtown. There was one old woman back there someone had told me about doing a good job with fortunes, even if a person didn't believe in those things. I thought I might as well give it a try; I had no where else to go, and a paid 'professional' was out of the question. (Most 'professional' seers were fake anyway).

I didn't exactly have an address, but after walking around for a hour in a more run-down area of the shops along a street, a faint smell of burning incense and oils caught my nose, drawing me to my destination. I rounded a corner to find a dainty little shop entrance covered in beads. There was no visible sign, but standing just beyond the entrance was an old woman who was staring at me with concentration in her eyes, as if she'd been expecting me.

A polite greeting caught in my throat, I entered the incense-infested shop with slight amazement. Moving the beads aside, my sapphire eyes caught sight of several stones, small statues, candles, knives and pottery and burners of sorts which lined shelves and tables.

"Looking for anything in particular, my dear?" the old woman asked me. Her colorless eyes did not blink and long gray hair did not move out of place as she spoke to me in a scratchy tone. I made eye contact with her now, thinking over what I wanted to ask of her. A sudden warm feeling nuzzling across my leg startled me however; I looked down to see a black cat rubbing the length of its body against me. The old woman had moved to me after I shooed the cat away and touched my wrist. "We've met before... Yes, in another life..."

I took my hand gently away from the old woman, slightly disturbed but not enough to keep me from finding what I came here to. "I wanted to consult with you about a few dreams I've been having..." I asked, keeping my distance by going to look at a dragon statue on a nearby shelf.

"You've come to the right place. Dreams or visions, my dear?" she asked, sitting down on her stool in front of a circular table in the corner. She invited me to sit across from her.

"Well, I'm not sure. I see them as I sleep, but they are so very clear and I remember every detail, unlike dreams." I slowly moved over and took a seat.

"Please tell me."

I hesitated at first, wondering if it was wise to reveal anything about my past, vampires, anything to this strange woman.

"It doesn't cost much." she assured me with a pleasant, but toothless, grin.

I smiled awkwardly in return. "That's not what I'm worried about..."

"Then let's begin. I can't tell you what you wish to know until I know about you, my dear."

Again I was silent. I sat sheepishly in my seat, fidgeting with my thumbs before putting my trust in the old woman and thinking over what I wanted to say. I wanted answers, didn't I? "How much do you know about vampires?"

The old woman shifted in her seat, her pleasant look never changing. "Enough to not come into contact with them. I can guess these are what your visions are about?"

"And more. They are about a certain vampire I have met and had conversation with. I've only had three dreams, visions, so far in the passed three nights. Each have had him in them."

She looked at me expectantly. "Start with the first one."

I nodded, thinking the first night over in my head. "I had met the vampire that very day, before I had the dream. The dream was simple, short but frightening. I was staring at my reflect in the mirror, brushing my hair. He was behind me, and he had no reflection because he was a vampire, and after I turned my head to look at him, he grabbed me and bit into my neck." I paused, shivering slightly. "After that I woke up. It felt so real, I was even thirsty after! I ran to my bathroom, there was no bite mark or any sort of injury..."

As I began telling her of the second dream, she gently took my right hand and began to trace her aged fingers over my soft palm while looking intently at it. "The second dream, I saw a darker image of myself. It frightened me, but when I looked away he was there again, grabbed me,." I conveniently left out Felicia in all of this. "And bitten my neck again. No marks when I woke up.

"...But the third dream, I was in a hallway, looking into doors that were like windows to my past, my memories from outside eyes. When I came to the last door, he grabbed me out and had not bitten me. He did something quite different. It was..." I paused, biting my bottom lip.

The old woman stopped tracing my palm lines and looked up at me. "It was?"

I was acting like a teenager with a crush; I had to just spit it out. "An intense kiss." I knew I had turned slightly red after I'd spoken it. "I forced myself awake after that."

The old woman made a satisfied sound, as if expecting that answer. She took her touch away from my palm to pull her gray hair up into a tie. "This...person. He is handsome, from _them _I'd expect nothing less." She chose her words carefully, looking at a small glass ball in the middle of the table. "Have you had any intimate relationships in your life lately?"

I thought the question was a bit odd but not too personal to reply. "No." I answered simply. I'd never really been romantic or 'hooked-up' with anybody after college; I rarely went to social events minus when Lucy forced me to a club or something. Even then, guys crushing on me just from appearance was less than flattering.

She nodded, then looked back up to me with colorless eyes. "The arrival of this person is going to cause changes, in yourself, resurface old memories, ones that you may have wanted to rather locked away. I feel you have spent the more recent part of your life building yourself into a 'comfort zone,' if you will. This person is a threat to that zone, but that may not be a negative intrusion as you think. The strong image of these dreams suggest they are projected images, perhaps from that person, mixed in with your own emotions. I sense an underlining desire, either from him or from you."

I was puzzled for a moment. Could a vampire put dreams into somebody's head and make me feel something they felt? I know I researched somewhere about vampires having supernatural abilities, faster speed, able to see in the dark... But mind manipulation?

"Your hand shows me a very different type of person than the one I see before me. It is a hand of someone who has the ability to take on many responsibilities and has great potential; your lines are very smooth and the design tells me you are of noble decent." I blinked as she went on, drawing a huge bullseye over my forehead with everything she said. "I sense there is more than you are telling me, but that's quite alright. I doubt it would make a difference to my final decision."

"Final decision?" I asked with a little too much enthusiasm. When she raised a brow at me, I looked back down. I was relying too much on her answer.

"Whatever it is you are hiding from or trying to avoid, that is what will make you most happy in your life. The fates will draw you back to that if you let them."

I was very quiet. In a way I had already known what she just told me; I was homesick but I avoided home. A double negative. I sat silent for several minutes, wondering if there was anything I could reveal or if I'd gotten the answer I'd been looking for. If I wanted to bring up curses, I'd have to bring up my past. I didn't wish to discuss that with an old seer I'd just met.

"Are you frightened, my dear?" She asked me suddenly.

I shook my head vigorously. "Oh no, not by you... You've been very helpful."

"I meant about what you are telling me. I sense a strong doubt or insecurity within yourself." she told me.

Now that it was stated aloud, I paused and thought about how I felt when I saw the new rose in the vase and realized that my apartment was not vampire-proof. I had felt violated, in a sense. The strong scent of the shop's oils finally got to me; I felt I should leave.

"Everyone has insecurities. It's nothing huge." I stood, digging a few bills from my pocket and leaving them on the table. I didn't know how much I'd set; probably more than enough for me and three other clients. "Please keep the extra; you've helped so much." I bid politely but left as quick as I could.

I think she said her own goodbye but I had run down the street before I could catch it. I really must remember the person who told me about that seer and thank them! The old woman was absolutely brilliant; creepy and unnaturally correct, but brilliant. She seemed very wise and well aware of the environment around her, like an all-knowing shaman from the old Indian tribes. It was odd to be read as well as that; I felt very nude in a metaphorical sense, like anyone who looked at me on my way to my apartment would know what the seer knew. I picked up some lunch from the deli and hurried back to my apartment after that experience.

The day was still beautiful but grew older from the morning. 4:37 read the clock; I was surprised with how much time I'd spent already. It was almost time to go into work! I checked my cellphone as I ate my deli; I missed one call from Lucy and she left a message. _"Ally! I didn't tell you last night about what happened after your party; me and Danny! We totally made out in a bathroom and now I can't even say _Hello_ to him without fucking up my speech. You have to come in before I make a fool of myself; you're good at breaking the ice around odd situations."_ I was? I thought."_Anyway call me back after you get this, don't mind if I'm working." _I was oddly amused with the sound of her distress. They were too cute together! I swear, if they didn't hook up eventually, I might have actually gotten involved in somebody else's personal life for once!

I called the poor girl back and we began chatting about how to handle the situation without ruining the friendship and what to do next. I had to constantly remind her Daniel was interested, all of the pros about him, and how he was a better pick over the assholes just looking for one night stands with a cute blonde. The conversation served very well to get my mind off of the more troubling points in my life, like vampires and murders nobody knew about.

Because of this, I was in a relatively good mood when going into work. The sun had set in the sky by the time I carpooled to the agency like my boss wanted. Darkness took the city streets as I walked into the agency; Daniel had finished his shift of make-up artist and was heading out when I came in.

"Top of the evenin' to ya, madam." Daniel greeted loudly, unmistakably catching my attention. "Did you talk to Lucy yet?" he asked hopefully. "She's been avoiding me all day."

I smiled. "And I put in a good word."

He gave a cheesy grin of his own; he was rather ecstatic. "Blimey! Did she say anything about what an amazing kisser I was?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, you egotistic moron. She enjoyed it, yes. She was more worried about her making a fool of herself than you messing anything up." I giggled as he did some sort of dance. "I have to go to a shoot now; stop using me as the middle-man and ask her on a date, idiot."

"Good idea!" He said to me as he went to leave. Quickly I went after him, suddenly reminded of something else I needed to talk with him about.

"Wait! About Felicia, did you find anything out yet?" My voice was hushed. I touched his arm and he turned.

He stopped and frowned at me, thinking for a moment. "No. I saw a missing person ad in the paper and some odd ones around town, I haven't heard about anything else. Sorry." I was slightly discouraged, though I should have expected it. He patted my back, offering me a goofy smile. "Don't worry though! Her disappearance isn't you fault."

"I know." I told him and turned to go back inside. _Still, nobody knows._ I sighed as I headed to the floor the photo shoot room was on. All of the professional and_ expensive_ equipment I needed I made sure stayed at the agency half of the time so then I wouldn't have to cart it around all day. Usually I did carry a small camera on me, but the perfect picture moments always seemed to come when I didn't have one on me. Of course.

After I loaded the large case of equipment onto a cart, I pushed it from the equipment room to the enormous photo shoot room, which was already set up before I arrived. I saw Lucy checking the lights and then shouting at someone because they put the wrong drop backdrop up on the wall; she smiled at me and waved after. A couple of the fresh new models who had finished make-up were watching the crew set up from the side of the set. I could tell, from the anticipation and fear on their faces, it was probably their first professional shoot.

Leon, a known fashion agent for Calvin Klein, approached me as I opened the equipment case. "These ladies will need quite a bit of coaching, I'm just letting you know now. Hopefully our male model will help them out..." he said to me, then casually walked away. I smiled politely and understood what he meant; the new models were always frustrating at first, but could be enjoyable by the end of the shoot. I wondered momentarily who the male model was but didn't think too long as I continued to pull each part of the camera carefully out and set them on the floor, ready to assemble the pieces after.

"How pleasant to see you again." A voice I recognized made me turn and drop the final piece to the camera; god his voice was like a velvet lined seashore on a cool summer night...

I never heard the piece collide with the floor; instead, it was in the pale hand of a man. He straightened his posture and gently handed the piece to me, cold fingers brushing my warm skin.

The vampire Luke stood in my midst, a smirk on his lips that caused me blush; I thought of the ending of the dream last night and the smirk widened. He looked even better than before after he'd been through make-up and dressing. The blush disappeared as I snapped out of it and looked right below the intense stare he had on me. "What are you doing here." I spat quietly at him.

"Working; I'm a model, remember?" He narrowed his icy blue eyes. "We could start the shoot if you would ready your equipment, _Miss Lovett_."


	8. Chapter VII

Note: Please let me know if anything in any of the chapters is confusing or not very well written or just plain confusing. Mysteries are hard to write considering I think I'm trying too hard. Just let me know when you **/REVIEW/ **at the end of this chapter.

**Chapter 7 – Jealousy**

A hot feeling ran up into my cheeks, a flush of anger and embarrassment and surprise. I glared towards him for a moment but then turned to continue setting up the equipment. He wanted me to start a scene, I could hear the provoking in his voice, see it in his eyes. But I knew better than to fall for that.

Leon came over by us now. I was fully ignoring Luke, silently praying Leon would take him away. Thankfully, he did. "Now, we want the girls to be the main part of the picture, since this is a woman fragrance practice ad... so try not to outshine them. You're just going to be a prop..." Leon was explaining to Luke as they walked back over to the set. I waited until the blond male had walked away before turning around and piecing together my equipment.

We were ready to start after I had done this. Lucy padded up to me with a grin after making sure the lighting was perfect; I tried to ignore her by sticking my face into the lens of the camera and checking to see if I had it set up right, though I know I did.

"Fine Ally, ignore me. But I'm not the one who's going to be looking at him for the next three hours."

I boiled under the skin after she said this and walked away. Glancing to Luke, I could tell he had heard what she said because he glanced directly at me right as I looked up. Defeated, I did my best to concentrate on my job after that, which Leon had come over to explain to me the point of the shoot and what he wanted me to capture; he handed me a clipboard to write my notes on about each model. "We're exercising each female model with our new line of fragrances for the fall line coming up... Luke is just going to be a prop, but he might try to steal the light so try to focus on the girls."

"I understand." I replied sweetly, listening to his instruction. And the shoot began. The point was to center on the girl, catch bit of the Calvin Klein shirt and the bottle of perfume in her hand. Luke was supposed to stand behind the girl, smelling her neck or hair or something to accentuate he was intoxicated by the fragrance. _'He does that well enough.'_ I thought bitterly, watching him draw the tip of his nose along the peachy flesh of the girl's neck. She was trying too hard to pose and kept forgetting the bottle in her hand was supposed to be a part of the picture. I was honestly worried for the model's well-being, but I knew the vampire wasn't foolish enough to try something here and now, or so I thought. I saw the hint of desire in Luke's eyes as he stared at her neck, but he would draw his gaze away gracefully and concentrate on what he was doing again. I wondered for a moment what he saw when he looked at a humans neck compared to what I saw.

Leon was constantly shouting to the girls within their 80 frames, "Liz, this is a fragrance picture, try showing off the bottle!" "Toni, you're a model, not a porn star." "Doutzen, get with this! You look like you're spacing out, not posing." He had warned me they were fresh, but I didn't think he meant brand-new-off-the-street fresh. It was hard not to have Luke the main focus of the shot.

Even with the skimpy tops and thin anatomy of a beautiful female model, Luke was a sight to top it all. Even though his body was blocked by the female model in the pictures, the open shirt revealed his well-toned abdomen and the pants clung dangerously low on his hips, which was so...inviting. The short blonde hair that usually hung neatly in front of his unique eyes was all messy, gelled this way and that (like mouthwatering sex hair). He did his best not to look directly into the camera with that die-hard intense stare, but every now and then I would capture his cold eyes on film when the timing was just right. His pale skin seemed slightly tanned under the light, but I knew it was only makeup done by one of our artists to make him appear like more of a human than a god.

All of these things I noted mentally. On the photographer's comment sheets on the clipboard, I made a few notes about habits of the models and things that actually pertained to my job rather than the immortal. I tried to be nice and truthful at the same time because I knew my comment could very well decide if the person had a future in modeling or not, but sometimes that was difficult (especially for some of these girls).

After Leon had given up on coaching, it was Luke who had taken charge to whisper genuine hints into each of the girl's ears. His smooth voice guided each female through the last few frames of their shoot; and these frames were the best of the bunch.

I did my very best to focus on my job, but tonight it was so unbearably difficult. I was concerned for the safety of the models, the crew, the coaches. I was so uncomfortable about being in the same room under influence of Luke and the physical attraction he easily demanded. And worst of all, I felt a tiny hint of a certain emotion I'd never felt very strongly before, every time Luke wrapped his arms around the girls waist or playfully placed kisses on their necks to help lighten the mood, I felt _jealousy_. After realizing I was even getting jealous, I was angry with myself _and_ him! But I couldn't let any of it show through.

Finally the agonizing photo shoot had ended. I chatted nonchalantly with Leon and the other spectators about what I thought about the turn out of the shoot, finished writing comments about each model, somewhat quickly. I was in a hurry to put the camera carefully back in its case, file the paperwork for this and then get out of the building away from _him_!

The models, including Luke, returned to the dressing rooms and Lucy approached and engaged me in light conversation. "So, isn't he divine?"

Knowing who she was talking about would only prove I held an interest for him. I decided to humor her. "Sure, if you like that narcissistic model type." I felt her glittering smile without looking at her. "Did Daniel talk to you yet?" I quickly changed the subject while scrambling to put my equipment away.

"Yes, actually! He wants us to go on a date this Friday."

"That's good to hear." I replied brightly, glancing at the sparkling grin on her cute face. Too soon to look up, Luke was crossing the room towards us, somewhat more normal and less inviting-type clothing than before. I closed the case and looked for the closest excuse to leave the room. Luke was stopped by Leon before he reached me so the agent could talk to him. "Gotta put the equipment back, have a good night, Lucy!" I told her before I hurried off.

I put the all equipment of mine away and filed the paperwork at my desk quickly and was heading home before anyone else could talk to me. In my rush, I'd forgotten all about taking a cab home because of the dangers at night with those peculiar wolf attacks. I hadn't realized this fact until I was already over halfway back to my apartment. I kept on, my thin jacket wrapped tightly around my body and the streetlights there to guide me home.

As soon as I felt a paranoid feeling wash over me and cloud my calm demeanor, I knew he was there, watching or following. His presence was what lingered in the air when I didn't see anything. Coming to a part of the street no one was in, I stopped and turned around. Nothing was there. This worked my nerves further and made me even more apprehensive. I wasn't a fool and I knew he was more cunning than I could handle. I broke out into a jog. I wasn't scared but I wasn't fearless either, I just wanted to get home and hopefully he would stop tormenting me in such ways!

If only it were that simple.

As I ran, alleys to my left and right would echo out footsteps. I knew he was easily keeping up with me. I stopped and turned around again, nothing out of the ordinary was there.

When I faced forward again, I was confronted by a building wall with one of my missing posters clinging to the brick. I stared up at Felicia's gorgeous face._ 'Why? Why are you doing this?!'_ I thought harshly, turning around. If he could read my thoughts or make me see dreams and feel things I wouldn't normally feel, dammit he had better of heard me now. '_Where are you? Show yourself! SHOW YOURSELF!'_ I thought hard of what Luke looked like and what he would look like if he strolled up to me now...

And then he suddenly appeared.

He surprised me by his entrance, but it didn't last long as I dared to look up at his stern face. His strong gaze easily overpowered my nervous one. His entire presence was entirely different than when we were in a public place surrounded my witnesses. There, he acted witty and _human like_. Here, now, when it was just him and I, he was who he truly was. An immortal being, a cold hearted vampire. I waited for him to say something to me. He was following me, after all.

His hard mood softened the longer we stood, but the intensity of his gaze did not falter. I felt nude again as I did after visiting the seer, I felt as if he could see right through my mind and read me like an open book. He took a step closer and involuntarily the last days' events flashed through my mind; I saw the party, Felicia's body, Luke defending me from the vampire Taylor, myself making the posters and hiring people to hang them up around the city, and then the vase and the rose.

After seeing all of my own memories flash across my mind, I felt very light headed. Luke's entire demeanor changed again. He became angry and grabbed my dizzy body by my shoulders and spun me around to look at the poster I made.

"This isn't a joke." His voice was like ice. He motioned toward the poster by shaking me. I regained a clear mind as he held me and bit my lip to keep from making a noise. "No one is laughing." The succulent voice softened. I looked up at my words_ 'Her body lies in ashes sprinkled over the blood of the Dark Children.' _I read this line clearly in my head. "Why would you care about one victim? You didn't know her well enough to remorse. Why put yourself in such a danger to expose _vampires_?" He hissed on the last word.

I couldn't bear to answer him. I had my reasons, even if they were selfish or ignorant. Overwhelmed with fear and torment, I desperately clawed my hands at the poster and ripped it from the wall and threw it around over his face. It wasn't much of a distraction or a good barrier, but it was enough for him to let go and give me a head start. I sprinted to my apartment building, up the stairs, but found the door to my apartment unlocked and open a jar when I arrived.

I didn't even have to see for myself to know he was here. My breaths were hollow and my blood raced with my pounding heart making a erratic rhythm in my chest. I swallowed my fear and caught my breath as I pushed the door open; Luke was standing in my living room with my personal journal in hand. He didn't even acknowledge I was there, only kept turning the pages to my book as he rapidly read my notes. "You haven't even scratched the surface of darkness and yet you still try to expose us."

The acknowledgment of his words hit me hard. I knew quite a bit more than the average human did about vampires, thank you. But I suppose when looking at the entire book of vampirism, I did know very little. I clenched my fists as he threw my journal aside in a pile of books I had just noticed he tossed from my bookshelf before I arrived.

"What do you want?" I asked him once again. Did he want my blood? No, it couldn't be that simple for him to torment me in my life and my dreams. But I didn't know any other reasonable explanation than me as a food source.

"I had really hoped it wasn't you." He told me, sounding as if he was a displeased mentor and I his pupil. I had no shallow idea what he was going on about and the confusion showed on my face.

"What are you talking about." I demanded, my last string of adrenaline-induced courage in my throat. He flared his nostrils at the question; I stood my ground as he rushed towards me and circled around me, causing me to look left and right trying to keep up with his speed.

He stopped center of my face, his stone hand on the small on my back so I couldn't cower away. "Darling Allison, you are the one who sought me all along. You've wanted answers, you wanted to find a real vampire to get closer to those answers, have you not?" The light teasing in his voice was more infuriating than anything else he'd done so far.

I was tongue-tied angry and flustered so looked away from his gaze. I had wanted to find a vampire, yes, when I found Luke I thought it was a real break in the case, at least proving vampire existence. I had also considered going back to him after I'd run away to ask him the questions to the answers I wanted. I had wanted these things and I still wanted them, but after he'd starting coming to me and next I found another body connected to my mother's killer and more vampires who were a bigger threat than Luke, I realized I didn't have control. And this scared me.

He grabbed strongly onto my arm and forced me to look up at him again. He spoke sharply and so close to my face I could feel the cold lifeless breath fluttering across my long eyelashes. "You wanted to find me. Well, here I am."

I was lost for words. His penetrating gaze and sharpened words cutting me down was too much. I tilted my head downward just an inch and tried to break the gaze again. "And I'm not leaving anytime soon." I closed my eyes as his icy lips pressed on my forehead before he let my arm go and I could feel circulation again.

He changed after we lost eye contact. "Exposing vampires like you have done will get you killed." he warned in a cold tone. His brows fumbled so tightly together in frustration that shadows came over his eyes, giving him a dark atmosphere. I did my best not to fear him.

"Tell me something I don't already know." I didn't know if I was being foolish or brave at this point.

Luke began to circle to me again, eyes softening while looking me over. I could feel his hand touch my curly hair, running his fingers gently through it. He seemed so fond of me now, he spoke to me as if I were a child. "There's no end to what I could tell you, Allison. About you, about your past, about your legacy..."

My eyes widened with the immediate interest. I let the words slip before I could even think. "Tell me." I turned and his hand drew to my cheek. A cold finger ran across the side so gently it sent a shiver down my spine.

"I could tell you, show you...convey such knowledge." His mouth was slightly open so the tips of his fangs poked from behind the pale lips. His icy eyes looked over me differently than before. When glancing into them, I saw the desire I had seen earlier at the shoot when he gazed at the girls neck, only now it was intensified tenfold. The basic hunger of a vampire. The lust for blood.

I gasped slightly under that destructive desire and his eyes flickered back to mine. I thought of the dreams where he had sunk those fangs into my neck; his face hardened after I thought of this image. All of the tension and intensity between us faded after he'd backed away. I slumped against the wall, feeling suddenly exhausted.

"If you _really_ want answers, if you really want a death wish so badly, seek me out." he told me. "If you wish to live, Allison Lockett, you will forget all about vampires and take down those obscene posters and continue on with you life as if you'd never met us." I blinked and he was in front of me again, he pressed my map of the city against my stomach. "You know where to find me. Hopefully you'll make the smarter decision."

My hands clenched the map and as soon as I did, he was gone.

When managing to stammer to my bedroom, the window was open and the cool night air created a fresh breeze which flowed over my face. I glanced outside and up at the moon; it was full tonight. I closed the window after gazing and locked my front door after; bitterly I thought how useless it was to lock my apartment when vampires could get in away.

Bitterly I lay the map back on the coffee table and put all of my books back on the shelf. And bitterly I looked on my counter in the kitchen and there was another fresh rose in the vase I had tried to hide behind a mess in the living room.

Too exhausted and cut down to care for anything in the world, I fell into a sweet sleep. Tonight the dream was I, walking in a lovely field with Luke, looking at him and up into the night-time moon... and then finding a dead wolf by the stream. "You'll have to come to me if you want to know." he said. I had awoken before I could ask a single question, Luke's offer fresh in my mind.


	9. Chapter VIII

Note: **I edited the last couple lines of the last chapter.** It really did suck. A lot. Like, more than a hooker. The entire last part of the last chapter was just horribly jumbled and moved too fast for this story to proceed in, but I'm going to work with it any way I can. I guess it's better this way. We're almost to chapter ten and you haven't even met the reason the Lockett family has a curse. wink.

Anyway, I'm sorry it took so long to update. It's the end of the school year here and I'm just coasting along. This story is going to become top priority again starting now. Reviews will make that last sentence concrete. D

**Chapter 8 – Offers**

Morning light filtered through the window's glass. When I awoke the following morning, the fresh rose and the vase was sitting on my nightstand instead of in the kitchen where I was _sure _was left last night. I didn't let this fact bother me; in fact, I was flattered just as much as confused. I knew _who_ had put it there and since I had awoke very alive and human, I knew he hadn't and wouldn't do anything if he hadn't by now. What I was disordered about was_ why_. Today would be the fifth day I'd met the vampire Luke, and if he didn't want me for food by now, I wasn't sure what he wanted.

I touched the soft red petals of the rose, then withdrew back into my blanket. Clenching the warm material to my chest, I thought about what Luke had offered me. To go to him for answers...or to forget all about my investigation. Well, my first impulse was to go to him, naturally. I'd been at this investigation for three years and found out so much. I wasn't about to drop my unhealthy obsession. But I was stubborn in the sense after I'd decided I would not back out, I hesitated to go to his mansion. So much had happened in just the last week alone. I needed time to wrap my head around my entire situation before I plunged into the fast lane known as Luke.

"_Hopefully you make the smarter decision."_ What did he mean? Did he want me to come to him or did he want me to go away forever? I couldn't figure him out; one moment he kissed my forehead tenderly, the next he pushed me away. Either he was an enigma or a confused immortal.

Gracefully I arose from my bed and strode to my bathroom and touched the place on my forehead where his lips touched. I glanced over myself quickly, sapphire eyes sharp and alert even though it was early, then enjoyed the morning shower before checking my planner for today. Rooftop shoot, 10am sharp for Vera Wang's spring line, then 3pm for a small swimsuit ad a local company wanted shot at the studio... My day would fly by just fine.

And the next three did as well.

* * *

In the four days, I had not seen one sight of Luke. I checked records, he had no new shoots, no interviews, not a peep into the human world. I could only guess this was his technique to drawing me to him. Like a sample or teaser; you always wanted more after tasting a tiny bit. He left evidence of his lingering existence, though. Every morning there would always be a fresh rose in the vase. It would be the first thing I saw when I awoke, whether I liked it or not. The thought occurred to me to get rid of the vase completely, but I couldn't will myself to do it. I had almost gotten used to the fact a vampire broke into my apartment every night to leave a cliché sentimental.

Almost.

My cursed dreams that always seemed to have him in them. The more dreams I had, the more questions I thought of, meaning more answers I wasn't getting. That seer from had provoked more inquiries after I'd visited her; such as special abilities vampires had. What were Luke's and was he using them on me? The vampire's total mask of secrecy was slowly driving me insane and making me rather impatient. I couldn't build myself up to go to his mansion; to walk into his territory and submit in his presence. Often I tried to guess where he would pop up next, but I realized he wasn't going to pop up until I went to him. The consequences of that action was hazy but not positive and very very real when I finally would go to him. I knew that fate by day one.

But aside from vampires, the recent development of Daniel and Lucy served me well. They were preoccupied with one another so much, trying to bud into my personal life wasn't even on the agenda for them. Lucy came to me (during work hours) for gossip, girl-to-girl chitchats, simple things I didn't mind sharing with Lucy on the occasional basis; I rather enjoyed just being a tiny bit social like the old Allison was, but I would never admit it to her.

As for the wolf dilemma, from what I read, the animal was not captured or ever found even though the slaughterings had stopped for a few nights. The threats of wolf attacks from the rare gray canine still remained. Even more ridiculous, rumors were flying around in the city that the creature was _werewolf_ related; since it killed humans and only hunted at night and didn't have a trace otherwise. I guess the only way someone could get the idea of a werewolf out of that was because the nights no wolf attacks were reported, the sky was too cloudy for moonlight to show, if you want to believe in the magical full moons out of those Hollywood legends. I suppose I shouldn't have thought the idea of a werewolf was ridiculous because I was the one who was interested in vampires.

Unluckily for me, a missing model was a smaller story compared to the string of slaughterings the wolf had produced. Nothing new on Felicia had come up in those days; I had almost given up on the public ever finding out about her murder because of the cover up the vampires had pulled. And since her disappearance had become yesterday's news thanks to the wolf deal, it was safe to assume the vampire society had become less pissed at me for the posters, if they ever knew I had made them at all. I checked the posters each night; over the four days they had all been removed, by the city or other people, or maybe even Luke or the murderer himself.

I didn't try to pull a stunt to exposes vampires again, at least, not _yet_. Friday rolled around faster than I expected, and before I knew it, I was staring at the day on the calendar the night before and wondering where the time went. And on that fateful T.G.I.F morning, I had answered my cellphone and had Lucy's energetic voice sing me awake.

"Aren't you excited?!" she asked me after I offered a tired greeting. I had another dream, I was walking up Luke's mansion and I knew everything I wanted to know was inside... And Lucy had interrupted the dream right as my fingers were clasped on the brass handle of the door. Her question had finally registered and my irritation passed into my voice.

"About what?" I snapped, rubbing my eyes open.

"Geez, grouch. Don't tell me you forgot about Daniel and I's date tonight? You can't let me go alone, you said you would double date with us!"

I jumped awake. "What?! No I did-"

"Great! We're going out after seven. Drive-in movie. Dress warm." Her settlement ignored what I was going on about.

"-and I don't even have a date!" I finished, hoping she heard some of my rejecting rant.

"I'll find you one by tonight! A nice hot blind date. Just pleeease, Ally. Please come! It'll make things so much less awkward. Please come for me?"

Looks like everyone wanted me for something now. I could imagine her sparkling aqua puppy-eyes, even through the phone. Hearing her whimper broke my resistance. "Alright, dammit."

She cheered, reminded me of the time and where to meet her before hanging up. I stood, stretched and groaned loudly. I needed a drink, I thought soberly. I think the last week's events and this morning qualified me for that. But after remembering I had work, I groaned again and hoped I was working late so I could have a liable excuse and not have to go.

By six that evening, I had reorganized all of my paperwork, the next day's work and cleaned my equipment and everything else possibly left to do at my desk before realizing I was trapped into going.

Ally Lovett was not social, did not like to party, and most of all _did not date_. Allison Lockett did those things, and right now I was not her. I tried to make myself feel better on the walk home by thinking there were worser things than going on a night out you weren't in the mood for. As my feet halted on the sidewalk suddenly and I looked up, I realized _he_ was one of those things.

Luke's architecturally gorgeous and misplaced mansion washed over my gaze. My breath hitched as I realized my feet had worked on their own, again, and brought me here. My hands clasped around the black iron of the fence surrounding the property. I was thinking about walking inside and accepting his offer; I wanted to go forth. I silently cursed my feet, then Luke, then his estate. I dismissed the thought as soon as I saw a curtain move on the second story. He was watching me, and I knew it.

Quickly I shoved off back to my apartment to dress warm for that double-blind-date I was suddenly enthused for, if it meant putting Luke off for even a few more hours. I had realized by the first night he made the offer I was going to return to him, that's the Lockett blood speaking, but I could try and prolong that conclusion for as long as I could, the Lovett cover dominated.

Within the hour I had returned to my apartment to change, make myself presentable to a stranger and then met Lucy and Daniel by the coffee shop she'd told me. The nighttime stars could be seen tonight as the clouds from nights before had dispersed, but the biting cold-front chill remained. Passing a closing news stand on the way, the man was warning all to stay inside in case the _were_wolf was going to attack tonight under the moonlight. I rolled my eyes at how silly that assumption sounded and the thoughts completely left my mind as I saw Lucy and Daniel sitting inside the coffee shop together, getting rather comfy and close before I arrived.

I smiled as I watched for a brief moment outside, feeling a certain longing after watching Daniel whisper a secret in Lucy's ear and place a quick kiss on her blushing cheek. _Awkward my bum_, quote Daniel, I thought. The smile and longing died after I recognized the man who strolled up so smoothly to their table and Lucy greeted in bright acknowledgment. No, dear lord, she wouldn't. She wouldn't set me up a blind date with _him_, now of all times to reappear back in my life.

I rushed out of the cold into the warm shop and was rather winded-looking when I approached the table. He wore casual clothes and a scarf to make him seem appropriate for the weather, his light hair was wind blown from the run here, most likely. His skin wasn't as pale as normal, I could sense a pulse on his body as I came closer to him; he might have just fed prior to arriving. A thin smirk was pressed on the man's lips as I sighed dramatically and Lucy made my arrival known. "Ally! Perfect timing. I know you've met Luke before so I invited him to come along with us tonight."

Frozen blue eyes met mine as I glanced down at the vampire sitting across from the couple, his hands folded under his chin. "I had nothing more interesting to do." he added in almost a seductive growl. I unzipped my jacket and tore my eyes away from him, looking at Lucy with wide eyes. I was sure she saw the fury behind them because she smiled widely. I grabbed her arm and pulled her away abruptly; needed to vent before I really did pull my hair out. Daniel and Luke were left in a staring contest between males.

"What the hell, Lucy." I managed to spit out once we were a safe distance away, but I knew Luke could still hear our entire conversation.

"You were worried about being the third wheel. You're single and gorgeous, he's single and gorgeous. It's more perfect then you realize."

My emotions were boiling over in my blood. I sighed, long and deep before laying my hands on Lucy's shoulders and looking her straight in the eyes. "Your persistence is infuriating."

She smiled and tried to look cute. "I know. And you'll get over it after you give up and give it a chance tonight." She succeeded.

"Give what a chance? _Him_?" I really wished I could tell her why I was so against spending any time with him. But I couldn't.

"You promised me you'd at least come. If you really don't like like him, endure for three hours, and I'll leave you and him alone after tonight."

Her offer was simple. Endure the movie. It was much easier to accept than _his_ was. "Fine. I'll hold you to it, though. Never again after tonight."

"_If_ you don't like him, after tonight."

_Trust me, I won't._ I thought toward her as she turned and dragged me back over to the table.

Daniel obviously lost the staring contest and was rather flustered when we returned. I was slightly amused when thinking he might be intimidated by Luke's presence possibly stealing Lucy's attention away from him; it was confirmed after the chocolate-haired male took the blonde's hand possessively after standing. The amusing thought passed as Luke rose and came toward me, that never ending smirk painting his lips. He flashed his fangs to me when observing I was staring at his mouth. I caught my gasp in my mouth by biting my lip, he chuckled and offered his arm out for me to take and follow the other two outside. They noticed nothing, and I felt a feeling quite the opposite of butterflies in my stomach as I took his arm.

"Blind dates aren't really my style, but I'm rather glad I accepted the proposal now." he told me under his breath, maintaining a safe distance from Lucy and Daniel ahead of us. I tried to speed his pace to walk with the couple, so they could keep an eye on Luke around me, but his steel hold on my arm and perfect and _slower_ pace did not let us advance.

I thought of several bitter things to say in return to him, but when Lucy glanced back and gave me a tempting look, the look that I couldn't say no to, I knew she wanted me to be nice and pretend to enjoy myself. However difficult that was.

"I'm flattered." I said simply, remembering my manners taught to me from so long ago.

He seemed to be laughing to himself, though his expression did not change. There was a slight pause between us as Lucy and Daniel hailed a cab. I continued to look over him, afraid of what would happen if I took my eyes off of him for even a moment. I swallowed hard when his gaze returned mine and we spent a moment reading each other. He was dangerous, tempting, cold and seductive all in one look. How did I get mixed up with him of all vampires?

"My offer still remains." he told me sincerely. My breath stopped; was it obvious I was thinking of that or could he read my mind?

"But we can discuss it another time," he continued. "Tonight, let's enjoy our _double-date_, as I hear it's called."

I sneered at how he acted so old fashioned, though very gentleman-like. Lucy and Daniel called to us as a cab pulled up. Luke politely let me inside before squeezing himself in and shutting the door. Four of us crammed into a three passenger backseat, some laps had to be sat on. Lucy thankfully found a seat comfortably on Daniels, so a sigh of relief spent over me as I sat close to but not on top of the vampire.

My hands were tucked tightly in my lap, but Luke's hand settled fondly on my knee as the cab driver drove to the address Daniel gave him. How unnerving that was, I couldn't explain. Even though I did my best to mask my discomfort, Luke noticed and no one else, of course. He unwrapped the scarf around his neck and wrapped it gently around mine. "It's vampire-proof." his whispered teasingly in my ear. I shivered and tightened the scarf once he pulled my hair out of it. "Relax." was his next command.

"Oh yes, I'll do that just fine sitting next to a predator of my kind for the next three hours." I shot back under my breath. Lucy questioned what we were discussing in whispers.

"I was wondering why we're taking a cab to a drive-in movie. Isn't the point to... drive in?" I asked quickly, hoping she'd buy it.

I think she did, because she smiled and hit Daniel playfully when he groped her side. "Danny here is an idiot who didn't get his own vehicle, just parked it at the empty lot the movie is going to be in this morning and made us tab a cab tonight."

I silently scolded the chocolate headed male for not taking responsibility for his first date with Lucy. Again, my attention was stolen by Luke when he laughed right next to my ear. It wasn't teasing, or cold, but it wasn't quite genuine either. Daniel shrugged. "It wouldn't fit the four of us anyway. Two seater."

Lucy giggled when he tickled her side. I had to admit, I was feel fairly uncomfortable and slightly pressured by now. I mentally rejoiced when the cab parked at our destination and we could exit the car. Luke, being the gentleman he was, was first out and helped the ladies out by the hand while holding the door open. Again, Daniel felt intimidated, but I hit his shoulder when he frowned and his jolly mood returned. "I gotta find the loo..." he said as we walked through the gates with our tickets. "Luce, the truck is in the third row. Hit the alarm button if you can't find it." he told her, and handed her the keys.

I rolled my eyes as how ridiculous Daniel could be, leaving his date to find his car all on her own, in a large crowd of other cars, while he relieved himself. I shook my head, which Luke raised a brow at and touched my hand.

Instantly, images of memories involuntarily flashed across my mind. Daniel hobbling away to the bathrooms, the phone conversation between Lucy and I this morning, the conversation Daniel and I had about him and Lucy "snogging" in a bathroom at my birthday party...He and Lucy blackmailing me to come to my own party...

When his contact broke, my head felt dizzy and I limped into his grasp. "What the-..." my voice slurred as my vision swirled and then focused on two blue eyes; Luke held me tight in his arms, looking at me with a genuine concern.

What was that?

My mouth opened to form the question, but a truck alarm filled the air around us as Lucy had hit the alarm button on the electronic lock for Daniel's car. "Found it!" she shouted when laying her hand on a crimson colored ford truck. People around us shot her odd looks. When she glanced back at me, I clung to Luke's limbs for support and his arm held me up by the waist, she got the entire wrong idea and grinned broadly.

Flustered and confused, but less dizzy than a moment before, I balanced myself and pushed away from Luke. By his consent to let me go, I knew he understood exactly what had just happened to me, and that wasn't the first time that had happened. But what had he done?

I turned to him to demand him to tell me, but Daniel walked between us and caught my attention temporarily. He was muttering under his breath as he returned. "Bloody hell, the loo around here was downright grotty. I thought something was going to jump out and bite off my-"

I was shocked at what I knew he was about to say. "Daniel! Stop! If you really want to impress Lucy tonight you'll need to clean yourself up a little." I told him. He ran his hands through his hair a few times, combing out the curly mess. "No, not like that. Your attitude, your speech, your actions. Be a little more classier than...snogging in a bathroom."

I narrowed my eyes back to Luke, who had his own sharp gaze centered on me. Daniel glanced at both of us and realized he had interrupted something. The lights in the lot dimmed and the large screen at the front lit up, starting the opening credits for the film we came to see. Daniel continued back over to Lucy, who made herself comfortable in the bed of the truck. When I glanced her direction, she motioned for Luke and I to join them.

I complied, though not as enthusiastically as I promised I'd be, and Luke and I climbed into the truck bed. Daniel had pillows and blankets for our comfort, and Luke took the care to cover himself slightly though he didn't need it. It was just little things like that which made him seem human-like around other people. I noticed, however. Luke sat in front of me as I retreated to a corner of the bed; I didn't trust or feel comfortable with a vampire behind me, out of my sight. Lucy and Daniel nestled together under one blanket on the other side of us; I had no intentions to mimic their style.

And I honestly was in no mood to watch the movie that was playing on the screen. I didn't even know what it was, and right now I didn't care. Luke was unnaturally still for the first few minutes. I noticed he didn't particularly care for the film either because he looked up every now and then at small disturbances around the other cars and people walking by. Watching him intently, I brooded over what I wanted to ask him first.

And the more I thought, sure enough the more I wanted the answer.

"I'm going to grab popcorn. Want anything?" I asked the two next to me.

"Soda please." Lucy answered politely, and Daniel shook his head. "Take your time." he added with a large smirk. I ignored a moment I would have usually rolled my eyes at him.

"Alright." I rose carefully from the truck bed and jumped over the edge. I glanced at Luke and he was already standing next to me; apparently he got the message. I wanted him alone just as much as he did, besides, Lucy and Daniel could use some alone time.

I headed for the concession stand, but quickly my direction changed with Luke right on my heals. I walked fast and discreetly into a passage made by two walls, that was somewhat private, but still had a view to the outside for people to see or hear me if needed.

I stopped and abruptly turned, Luke never missing a beat and meeting my gaze without a moment wasted.

"What was _that_?" I snapped, pointing the direction we'd come.

"_That"_ what?" he jerked back just as fiercely.

"You, making me see things against my will. In my dreams, when you want to know something. How are you doing it? Why are you doing it? What are you even doing!" My voice grew louder each question.

He stepped unbearably close to my face, "You're not asking any of the right questions." he replied simply in a deep, and completely stimulating tone.

My breath hitched as his cold breath teased the few strands of hair hanging over my forehead. "What do you want from me? _What do you want from me_." I repeated the phrase as a certain rage and need built within me, passing to Luke through our locked gazes. I had enough nerve to touch Luke and attempt to push him, to try and rough him up a bit so he'd talk, like in those interrogation scenes in the movies. I honestly didn't know how my mind came to that conclusion.

The result of just touching Luke's body when such an intensity was being passed from me to him was heart stopping. He deflected the push I had coming for him and instead picked me up off my toes and set my back against the wall. Instantly I gasped and my arms darted around his neck for support; though I had plenty of support from him as his hard arms held me up by my thighs. His body felt perfect as he pressed me against the wall.

My mouth was agape with surprise, with resistance, but that all faded just a second later. One moment I was sucking in a gasp, the next his strong, cold lips pressed into my full, warm alive ones. My lips were parted perfectly for his advantage, which he took without hesitation and pressed his cool tongue unto mine. A commanding growl erupted from his throat and into my body when I tried to fight it, instantly I submitted with a shallow moan. His grip tightened, his body pressed harder, and he showed no signs of releasing.

There was a powerful hunger and intense drive behind the kiss. It wasn't soft or chaste or gentle. It was suffocating, demanding, and most of all passionate. My hands fisted in his hair, either trying to pull him from me or secure his position on me, I couldn't decide and it mattered little. I was lost in him. I'd forgotten _what_ he was and _who_ I was.

There was a revolting realization when he tore away suddenly, leaving me gasping for air, my heart pounding and mouth hanging open. Another growl echoed into me, but this time it wasn't Luke. It was another creature at the end of the passage, with a menacing sound that struck fear into my being. I saw the movement of shadows and a moment later Luke was pressed against me no longer; gone.


	10. Chapter IX

Note: Thank you for over 20 reviews and 1400 page views! I want to give a shout-out to Jesse-of-the-Fire for inspiration of the violence in this chapter.

Disclaimer: (It's about time I had another one of these.) I own everything of this story, save the concept of vampires. I do own my species (you could call it) of vampires, but I don't feel right even laying claim to that because all the stories are just mix-and-match of old legends and myths which I do not own. I guess I'll say I own my mix-and-match choice of vampires, the characters and the mystery of this story. Thank you for reading.

**Chapter 9 – Mirror Image**

My feet touched the ground as I heard several screams right outside of the alleyway I had been abandoned in. My breaths were shallow and uneven as my mind had not caught up with everything that had just happened and was barely registering what was going on now. Quickly I stumbled out into the open to find out what was taking place. Whatever these people were now screaming _must_ have been why Luke left suddenly. To protect me again, I hoped, but doubted.

"Killer wolf!"

"Werewolf!"

"Run!"

I heard the small crowd scream before I saw it. There was indeed a wolf, a rather normal-sized gray-colored wolf; but with a monstrous level of violence and hunger. The canine tore its snout into the chest of a man laying lifeless on the ground, it ripped at the flesh and masked its own face in the blood.

I was petrified as I watched and heard the people around me break into panic. Many were getting into their cars and leaving, others were attempting to solve the wolf problem on their own. A different man ran forward with a metal bar of some sort to ward the creature away, but the wolf raised its body with lightning speed I'd only seen once before. Its orbs were red and deadly, blood spilling from the bared jaws as it veered around the man's bar and jumped straight for his throat. A choked cry was the last sound the man could manage before he fell to the ground, his life claimed by the beast who now locked it's bloody orbs on me.

Crimson drizzled to the ground from the wolf's jaw as another menacing growl echoed in my ears.

A woman who was fleeing the area ran in front of me and was snatched out of the air by what seemed like an invisible force. I gasped quietly, my eyes still locked on the beast, but heard the woman scream and hit the ground before her voice was muffled by a choking within her throat as well. What had taken the woman, I couldn't tell. I couldn't process anything that was going on and didn't have a chance to react to the fear built around me.

All I could see were the bright red orbs as the vicious blood-soaked wolf lunged for me.

BOOM! A gunshot erupted and I fell backwards from the shock of the noise; the wolf's body lay deceased only a couple feet from me. A group of males a few yards away were laughing in celebration, one of them held a shot gun in his hand and gloated about killing the man-eater. He looked at me and began walking towards me with the gun pointed safely toward the earth... He asked me if I was alright and if I needed a hand.

Sitting completely still on the cold ground, I watched as the wolf got back up from the dirt, seemingly shook off the gunshot, and lunged toward the young man who had brought it down for a few short moments. His buddies pointed and shouted, the young man himself just had enough time to look around at the beast and grip his weapon, but it wasn't enough time to defend himself from an agonizing death. The cry I had for him was caught in my throat.

My limbs shook and my body gathered itself from the ground and began to move away as the wolf feasted on the heart of the young shooter. The sound of the gunshot, the ripping of human flesh, terrified voices screaming for serenity; these caught more and more people into a fright. I stopped amidst the chaos; people were running and shouting, cars were trying to get started and others that were running were already screeching away on any path out of the lot.

When I turned, I saw the force who had snatched that woman from before out of the air. Rather than a force, the woman had been snatched by what looked like a man. A rogue-looking man with chestnut hair whose face happened to be buried into the woman's thin neck as he held her unmoving body. He glanced up, reddened eyes flicking back and forth as they followed the scattering people. Blood dripped from the fangs I didn't miss in his mouth.

I dared blink and the rogue vampire had his throat in Luke's hands; or some_thing_ that looked like Luke. His blond hair jabbed violently in different directions and his face was contorted into a beastly anger as the rogue struggled in his grasp, but Luke seemed much stronger and held the vampire, choking him. The chestnut haired rogue fought the iron grip, growling ferociously and began wailing his nails about; with one longer nail he slit Luke on the face. I gasped softly when I saw a thin line of blood trail from a cut on Luke's cheek. I did not blink this time as Luke paused. A deep growl grew in the base of his throat as his eyes changed from blue to red, then he erupted and tore at the neck of the vampire with his nails until he'd decapitated the threat.

I still stood, even as most of the other people in the area had filtered away, completely shocked with my mouth hanging open. Luke looked my direction. His atmosphere was darker, even more sinister with the crimson eye color, but I realized the physical darkness was because clouds had suddenly formed in the sky and shielded the earth from moonlight.

The vampire Luke stiffened in stature and had heavy breathing as his eyes fixed on something passed me. I turned my body and strained to witness what.

Then I saw her. _Her. _Her pale body stood tall and graceful, her curves were clearly visible even though the apparel chosen for her wasn't half as deserving as her beauty. I didn't know her name, but I knew she wasn't me; _she couldn't be_. The darker mirror image of myself stood only meters away, staring at me through deep blue eyes and blood staining her brilliant golden hair and entire front. It didn't seem like she was real, but it was a different unreal feeling than my dreams; she looked like a perfectly carved statue that stole life from any soul who dared looked at her.

And I stared, fear striking me where I stood.

Her entire figure was perfection in my eyes. Whoever she was, she neatly wiped her mouth clean of all blood, then lowered her head to Luke and submitted to the warning in his appearance and throat. Red tainted honeysuckle strands of hair fell over her from behind her ear as she raised her head again and smiled deviously. A pair of white fangs poked out teasingly from behind her lips as she spoke in an enchanting voice.

"You've always kill my fledglings in the most brutal of fashions... He was only three days old, I believe..." Her tone was like a mother speaking disappointment into her child. "Shame." she added nonchalantly.

The strange mirror image began walking now, and she moved her arms artistically through the air as if she were dancing. Her steps were slow and perfectly in rhythm to the chaos around her. Her pace stopped when her foot was inches from the head of the vampire Luke had decapitated. Too quick for me to see, she picked the head up by the scalp, stroked the chestnut hairs, and then placed a chaste kiss on the lips of the head. "Pity." she whispered to it.

My eyes didn't leave her and the obscene actions she performed until Luke approached her. His red eyes had faded back into the icy blue, and I noticed something else that shouldn't have bothered me more than what the mirror image had just done to the head.

Luke stared at the vampiress with a calm demeanor and held the intensity of his eyes I'd only seen cast into my own. He came close to her, loomed over her but did not lay a hand on her.

"There's one more in this park, however." she told him with a soft smile on her blood-tinted lips. He tore himself away and growled deeply as if he'd just been struck across the face. "Lucas, you won't be able to stop me. You never have and you never will." She was gorgeous as she tilted her head to the side and grinned towards me. My breathing stopped. Her eyes moved toward the sky, where the moon had begun to poke out from behind the clouds again. "Farewell, my sweet."

The head of the chestnut-haired vampire hit the ground with a clunk. Luke stepped to my side and put his arm protectively around my waist as the mirror-image was transformed under moonlight. Her deep blue eyes blurred to red and the curly hair morphed and changed color to the shade of the rare gray wolf...

A growl escaped the transformed animal's throat before it ran.

Luke's own low growling died away with the tenseness of his body. With no time to waste, Luke had grabbed my wrist and was walking me away from the area. Graveness was stitched into his features. "Get out as fast as you can." he commanded quietly.

I blinked up at him as he turned and scented the air. My head pounded with confusion, unfathomably.

"Now." he shot, looking back at me.

Finally able to move once his command pierced me, I did as instructed and rushed to find Daniel and Lucy, if they were still there. I looked around at the dieing rush of the last few people left fleeing the area. I stepped carefully over a couple fresh corpses and recoiled when I smelt the stench of their fresh innards. And then one thought occurred to me.

I didn't have a camera. It was the only thought in that moment and repeated._ I don't have a camera._ Frantically I looked around; I saw a disposable one lying in the hand of a thin old woman that littered the floor. I cringed when gazing at her blank face, mouth agape since her throat had been so disdainfully ripped from her. But I took her camera none the less.

Flashing a picture of it's holder, I looked around and caught images of several other bodies and blood trails that so grotesquely painted the scene into horror. After the cheap disposable thing ran out of film, I felt so utterly ridiculous for risking pictures, that probably wouldn't turn out anyway, when I should have been leaving with my life. Leave it to the photographer to put the picture before their life. My brain had worked this way for some reason I didn't understand yet, and wouldn't until I was out of this nightmare.

Then Lucy, like an angel from heaven, ran toward me. I didn't know exactly what she was saying, but her frantic voice seemed to lull away the beating in my head. She pulled me into the truck bed of Daniel's car and then screamed at Daniel to step on it.

"I'm fine." I told her, though she hadn't even asked the question yet.

"Luke?"

I looked around, not knowing myself where he was at. "He's fine." I told her. I felt like a daze; the screams and panic had been numbed from my hearing, and shock hadn't quite caught up with my body yet.

A shiver ran up my spine when a cold hand touched my back. Luke's silky voice assured Lucy he and I were fine and we all needed to get out. The blonde female wasted no time in agreeing and jumped into the passenger seat with Daniel before they, like the others in the lot, were speeding off.

The rush of cold air stung a bit, but that was ignored once I turned to look at Luke. His breathing was heavy, his face was tightened in agony as he held his side, which was soaking with blood. Words were caught in my mouth as I reached out and looked at the wound in his torso. My hand hesitated from touching his skin when he began shaking and jerked away from me. I looked into his eyes and they were the brightest shade of red; they enticed and startled me both at once.

But I knew I couldn't reach out to him. He shook violently and cringed this way and that as his body healed the thick wounds gashed in his side and along his arms and one thin slice over his hollow cheek. From the red of his eyes and the need behind them, I knew he wanted blood.

I swallowed slowly as I realized this and stared intently at the vampire and his actions. His eyes seemed to be following some invisible trail that led from my face down, along the muscles of my jaw, to the lines drawing him into my neck. My heart was thumping in my ears at a race faster than the truck as he fixed his eyes there on the veins within the skin and I stopped breathing again...

"Luke..." I said carefully. I almost regretted speaking when he didn't look up right away.

When icy met the sapphire, I took in a gasp of air and my heart softened in sound. His face fell and the intensity in his eyes seemed to die as he recognized fear on my face; fear of him, fear of death. I opened my mouth to ask him who that dreadful vampiress had been. The words didn't produce, only an image of the mirror images blood-soaked stance appeared in my mind.

He blinked, apparently understanding what question I had lingering on my tongue. "Her name is Courtney. Courtney V." His tone was indescribable, a mixture of regret, remorse, respect.

"Courtney V?" I repeated, slightly confused with the letter at the end. He stared me, looking as if he debated what he wanted to say next. A blank stare glazed over in his eyes, and he spoke in a low and subtle tone.

"The V stands for Vengeance."


	11. Chapter X

Note: How unfair am I, leaving you all without an update for so long? Honestly, I've been overwhelmed with school finally ending and summer beginning, but I'm not trying to type up excuses. So I, after eating my favorite snack of fried eggs with onions and garlic, give you the next part of the unfolding story.

**Chapter 10 – Secrets**

The rest of the night, after the chaos that erupted in the drive-in movie lot, was a quick blur that came back to me in small measures over the next few hours. After fleeing the scene, Daniel and Lucy insisted both Luke and I were taken to a hospital, but Luke cautioned against it since no one had been injured. (He had healed quickly and Lucy never noticed he was injured in the rush). Instead, he offered to safely take me to my apartment since I was still in a shock-state. She was obliged to let him and he assured them both they would hear from me tomorrow.

The blond vampire carried me into my apartment, which happened to be unlocked although I remembered locking the door, and set my body gently under the sheets of my bed. What Luke had told me about the vampire mirror image, or Courtney, had drawn my mind into a secluded state; and I wouldn't come out until I could process every detail and wrap my mind around it without going clearly insane. Courtney was my mother's killer, I had looked right at her! The vampire Luke knew this as he rested his cool hand on my cheek.

Nothing was said as I stared blankly up at his wonderful face, the only life in mine a blink of my sapphire eyes every now and then. His gaze was strong but I knew he was holding back a certain urge, the blood lust that was building since his slaying of the fledglings.

He said something to me in a low voice. I didn't care to understand what, but the completely soothing sound of his voice calmed my restless mind. His cold palm rested on the back of my neck and then tilted my head up so he could place a kiss on my forehead.

The moment his lips touched that spot, I fell into a dreamless sleep. The first dreamless rest in too long.

* * *

The next day... Headlines were ablaze with endless versions of the same story, but only one newspaper's rumor was enforced by some of _my_ photos. How? The disposable camera film, that had captured the scene's aftermath with, I had given to a close contact of mine, Thomas. Tom was probably the best article writer I'd ever known and I knew I could count on him to make any preposterous story seem believable.

I had taken the photos to him the moment after my eyes opened in the morning. I knew I had to get the proof out before the vampires could cover it all up. I sat quietly at a table outside of a small cafe' on the corner of the street, sipping a hot herbal tea as I looked over Tom's article on the front page of the newspaper, which was printed only an hour after I'd given him the photos. I was very pleased with the amount of readers it had received in that short amount of time; most news stands were sold out by now. Of course I asked him for the photos to be anonymous for my safety, which he obeyed. (Couldn't tell him exactly why, though).

The morning was warm with sunlight but a bitter wind from the final days of winter struck a shiver all the way to the bone. I took another gulp of tea and reread the article several times. _"Witnesses have confirmed sighting of the creature and slaughterings in the parking area of the drive-in movie... More than one creature... claims to have killed the beast have been reported but no bodies besides the victims have been found... thirteen were killed and seven injured..." _I set my cup down with a steady hand. _"Described as neither human nor animal..."_ That was my one quote Tom wanted to put in, anonymously. "Good luck trying to cover that up..." I whispered under my breath; a smug grin on my lips. I would have to go by Tom's office later and thank him for being able to use my stuff under such short notice.

I suppose my unconcern for the victims of the events should have been realized, but I had entered too deep to this "dark side" to be welling up in tears over a few casualties and, as Luke mentioned, I hadn't known them well enough to feel remorse. If I had ever stuck with seeing someone professional about that lack of care towards other humans, they probably would have told me it started back when my mother was killed and I hadn't let myself be upset about it yet... Ah well.

For now, the absence of a rose this morning told me that Luke was occupied with last nights events, probably with whatever vampire 'community' he was a part of. My mind wandered to the vampire named Taylor and if he was trying to find the killer of Felicia and my mother right now and clean up her mess. Obviously he was an important vampire, from what I deducted of him myself that one night, but he was dangerous too. And in a different way than Luke, was since Luke decided he liked to care about me instead of kill me.

I needed to deal with my own community, which involved calling Daniel and Lucy and assuring them I had made it home safe and was fine today. I called Lucy when I went back to my apartment.

The ringer counted barely one before she picked up. "Ally?"

I set the folded newspaper on the counter and smiled at her concern for me. "Hi Luce. ... Yes, I'm fine. I actually just went out for a drink this morning to calm my nerves, so I'm holding up great. Just in shock last night, that's all ... Yeah, I read the articles too. I hear that the city is going to go to extreme measures for the wolf extermination next, but the environmentalists and animal communities won't let the city kill an endangered animal without a fight."

I traced the headline of the article over with my finger. _Monster under Moonlight_. My thoughts were consumed with what Luke had to tell me; everything about this entire situation which I knew I was a part of whether he admitted it or not. Lucy was talking more about what I had said and how people thought the wolf wasn't a wolf at all, it was a werewolf. "Rubbish." I heard Daniel's voice in the background. The two began arguing about how fantasy creatures like werewolves didn't exist. I was very silent, grave and amused by them at the same time. After Lucy remembered I was still on the phone, she asked if I wanted for her to come over and talk. Most likely about the non-violence related part of the night; the date part.

"No! I mean, I'm still a little tired. I've already asked for the day off. I'll be fine, but I just need to rest. I'll talk to you later." I made my tone believable and she understood my want of privacy. "Thanks for the concern. Bye."

I set my cellular device down and looked at the front page article again. Indeed Courtney, as Luke said she was named, was a monster under the moonlight. From observations I made last night, she transformed into the wolf animal under moonlight. Was the change required, or at will? I couldn't know that and proving it was required could be useful if I ever met her again; I could know if she were a woman or a wolf by what the night was like. Of course it would be suicide to go out and look for her. She also made it clear she had and has intent to make fledglings, minions, which would be a serious threat if she ever targeted me. The way she looked at me last night; my mortal flesh couldn't stand it. I gulped just remembering the experience and being in her presence. It was breathtakingly frightening and I had a sixth-sense like feeling that I would have that fear in me again.

I moved the newspaper from my sight, threw it on the stack of paper I called my research in the living room table and didn't look at it for awhile. The mess Luke had made from the other night I had cleaned by then; I took the time to set each book back on the shelf and actually put a little organization into my tiny living room. I could see the floor and walk through the place without stepping on anything, so it was a small improvement.

As for the research and note-taking I had made my one and only pathetic hobby over the past three years, well, I looked at the notebook and different stacks of paper clipped together and thought about what I should write down. I recalled Luke telling me about how I'd barely scratched the surface of vampires, and knowing he was right I decided it was a waste of time to record something I already had in my head. I turned away to my bedroom.

For the first time in a long while, Ally Lovett's preserving nature of doing things wanted to subside. She was always so reserved, always taking the safe road instead of taking a hold on her destiny and daring to be ambitious as Allison Lockett was wired to be from the blood on her veins. So now, instead of wanting the vampire Luke to leave me alone, leave me safe and never-changing, I wanted him to come to me and tell me what he had to say.

I did, after all, want answers. I had always wanted answers but didn't know who to ask or what to ask them. And now that Luke had been delivered to me, a dangerous package of knowledge and temptations, I couldn't complain. I settled myself into my blanket on my bed with this thought and fell back asleep, waiting for night to come.

I slept through the afternoon and when dusk was sprinkled over the city's portrait I had awoken in the darkened day to discover the power went out. Figuring it wasn't just my apartment, I went down to investigate.

I found the power was out in my building, and the rest of our street. I heard from neighbors downstairs that it was a simple fuse or something somewhere and the maintenance crew would have it back in a few hours when they got to our division. "Great." I told myself, and ended up lighting candles all over my apartment. I set old newspapers down for the wax dripping, but besides the mess the entire candlelight atmosphere was rather enchanting and romantic.

Which called for a new type of atmosphere between the people in the fire's light. I waited for darkness and after the stars had come out to play I caught myself rather anxious for Luke's arrival. There was no promise he'd even come at all, but I knew he'd be there. He and I had made it very clear with our actions the night before we were not going to simply ignore the other and go on with our separate lives.

I knew he'd arrived inside my apartment before I even saw him.

I understood his special ability was some sort of mind game; seeing thoughts of mine or possibly seeing thoughts of his. As the seer had suggested a few days ago, he could have the ability to draw emotions or images from himself and set them onto me.

His mind was projecting to mine now; _I saw Taylor, the vampire from the alleyway that night awhile back. He was angry, so angry, and yelling at Luke. "You let her live!" he shouted and the phrase echoed in my mind. "...you don't have the valiance to put an end to her." Luke growled at him. A female vampire next to Taylor with orange hair was scratching notes into her notebook._ It was getting hard to see and hear things in the vision. _"We don't know where she is, where she is hiding or how many fledglings she has. You could tell us these things, Mr. Hawthorn." she said. Luke frowned and turned away from them, leaving Taylor and his assistant in anguish._ Then the vision blurred into darkness... It was as if Luke was trying not to let me see what he'd been through.

My normal vision cleared again after that had happened and Luke's gorgeous marble features lit by candle was the thing in my sight now. I shifted on the couch uncomfortably, all of my thoughts in disarray since I was trying not to think about him and the way he looked, but failed.

It was less cold than usual during the nights now but that still didn't call for spring apparel. Luke's shirt flowed open and his faded jeans let his hip bones become visible to my eyes. He had ran here and fed on the way. I could tell because his hair flowed in a yellow wind-blown mess and his pulse under pale skin was beating with the fresh kill. His eyes adjusted from red to blue in the couple of times he blinked and came towards me slowly, not to startle me. He had a hard frown on his face and he ran a hand through his hair. I could tell he didn't want me to see what I'd just envisioned and now he was trying extra hard not to let anything flow from his mind by the look of concentration on his face.

I shifted again on the couch, but the powerless feeling I received from being looked down at bothered me and I stood up to meet his gaze, save the couple of inches he had on my height.

The next thing I knew I was knocked back into the couch with a newspaper in my hands. It was the front page article from this morning, the large picture of a mangled body over the text. "I know you took this." he told me in a tone less than pleasant. He wasn't happy. At all.

"And?" I replied a little too cheekily. He made a quick movement to strike me; I closed my eyes with a tiny bit of fear as Luke's hands darted to either side of me on the back of the couch and he leaned very close to my face and growled. He was just doing it to scare me. I didn't let it work as I opened my deep blue eyes to his angry frozen ones; candlelight danced over our cheeks.

"And you're asking for a death wish." he replied harshly.

"And what that other vampire, Taylor or whoever, is doing by covering up murders and getting rid of entire existences is wrong." I told him just as sharply. He pushed off of the furniture and began pacing around the room. I think he noted it was cleaner than last time because he looked thoughtfully at where he stepped.

"I cleaned since the last few times you walked in here to make _deliveries_." I told him blandly.

He glanced at my form on the couch and looked over my body before he turned away, laughing. This angered me. "You still know so little." he muttered. "But I give you points for coming this far. Not many have."

"I'm flattered." I bit back. "So why don't you start letting me know what I _know so little_ about, hmm?" Insolence radiated from my voice with every word._ 'How about we start with my mother's killer...'_ I thought bitterly to myself.

He ignored my tone and picked up a marble ball that sat on one of my bookshelves. Was it me or was he easily distracted? "It's not just about me telling you. Some things I have to show you." His eyes darted straight back to mine and my breath hitched as I was caught. Whatever his mind ability was, it was working now. _He showed me images of his latest kill; as they weren't expecting him, a man who stood and then ran, terrified... He cried out for help before Luke caught him in the shadows and devoured his blood..._

When the vision ended I was at his feet on the floor. Apparently I'd fallen from the couch and my eye sight was blurry, my head was foggy but slowly regained it's levelness. "Human minds have a harder time processing what my vampire mind can show you, so every time we do this you'll be a little dizzy."

But I wasn't just dizzy from the vision itself, but what the vision was about. I saw a man murdered through the eyes of the hunter. It took my breath away, in a good and bad way. I grabbed his pant leg and yanked several times until he bent down to my level on the floor. "Why...are you showing me this?"

"You don't understand the concept of death and those who deal it." he told me simply. I looked up at him and my vision cleared more. Candles were making monsters of every object's shadow in the room. He touched my shoulder and moved my hair over it to ease me and waited for my senses to come back to normal.

"Vampires hunt, because we need human blood to survive. Some vampires make their living from blood packets taken from hospitals, others, like myself, prefer the live hunt and the kill. It's probably the most satisfying sport in the world, next to sex, anyway."

I shrugged his touch off of me. "Justify murder with survival, fine, but why the cover then?"

"Vampires have been around for a long time, my dear." he started, pulling my form up off of the ground. "It gets harder to hunt and get away with it every decade, especially in the modern era. You smart humans have discovered several ways to pin the right man to a crime. Vampires do what they must to survive, that is that. Even if that means silencing a few people, or burying a few bodies." I didn't argue with him. His teacher-like tone didn't allow me to think otherwise.

I crossed my arms and turned away from him. He grabbed the newspaper from me and hit the front cover as he grew more hostile. "Secrecy is the number one rule in the vampire society. Taylor Halling's job is to make sure vampires stay a secret and to make sure things like _this_ does not ever make it to the news in the vampire's name!"

I stood my ground and continued to look away, acting quite stubbornly considering what he was capable of. My eyes lay at his feet and did not come up until a cold hand forced my chin to look up at him. He was frowning and stared directly into my eyes because he knew I couldn't look away when he did this.

"I won't always be there to protect you."

"I never asked for your protection." I replied obstinately.

Anger flared in his voice. "I've been covering your ass the past few days and still am! I removed all of those ludicrous posters about the model from the city walls, kept you and your interest with exposing vampires out of Taylor's sights, and watched over you each night just in case someone has seen you snooping around." My eyes widened as he confessed this. He conveniently left out the parts about messing with my mind as I dreamed and leaving me roses every morning to boggle my mind during the day. "Do you even know what you're doing, what you are causing?" he asked me.

I paused and looked over his stone face. "Something big and serious, I'm sure." I hit his hand away now and tore myself away from his gripping gaze. "You don't understand anything about my reasons."

"Yes, I understand. Running away from your responsibilities. That's what all of the grand leaders-of-nations do in this age, that's what you're doing by staying here in America and playing the blame game instead of leading your country."

I stopped right where I was and spun around in a flurry; and when I did, he was not there. For just a moment I was confused just as well as angry at him, and then his voice from right behind me made me spin around again, this time directly into his face. I didn't even want to question how he knew me, the real me, not right now anyway...

"Allison Lockett, the runaway heir." he breathed.

"Lucas Hawthorn, the vampire." I replied hotly.

"Looks like we both have a huge secret about the other, doesn't it?"

"Looks like it."

He began to circle me, but I followed his face with my own; the proximity was close enough to see the lashes of his eyes. My mind, curse it, fluttered to the intense kiss shared between us the night before. He smirked and I knew he'd seen that thought. He stopped his circling and I followed; I knew he was playing a game with me, but suddenly I rather liked games...

"I don't have time for anything else here tonight. Thanks to you, vampires everywhere in the city can't hunt out in the open for awhile. But you probably knew that." It was my turn to smirk now. "Come to my mansion tomorrow, the earlier the better. And I'll walk you through everything you want to know about us."

The offer was the same as a few days ago; come to him and he'll let me know what I want. I cursed inwardly but the annoyance was lost as barely warm lips touched my own, then broke off quickly. I was embarrassed to admit I leaned forward to follow those lips but he shifted himself upward and put the newspaper in my hands again. "Don't try something like this again." he warned, but in a much gentler tone than before. "I'm serious, Allison."

"I know." I replied innocently.

Luke made a growling sound. Apparently he wanted me to take the warning to heart.

"Fine. I won't try to expose vampires in my free time."

"Good girl." He smiled widely, flashing his fangs before disappearing.

I sighed dramatically and was suddenly annoyed with the vampire Luke. One moment he threatened me, the next I had butterfly kisses for goodbyes. That was a roller-coaster I didn't need for a relationship. And with a vampire! It was taboo, doomed to fail, totally forbidden and not to mention...

possible and so very desirable.

He admitted he had been protecting me all along, after all. I didn't doubt him; I wondered why I hadn't been confronted by a more deadly vampire by now for all of the strings I pulled concerning the exposure of vampires.

I snuffed the remaining of the candles that hadn't burned out and traveled to my room, where a fresh rose rested in the vase sitting on my night stand. Had no time my ass; he had enough time to make quick stops at flower shops every night, he had time for double dates, he had time to argue with other vampires, hold a human career and feed on top of it all...

My mind wandered, thinking about just what did Luke do with his immortality. And not to mention, how old was Luke and what was his story of becoming a dark one? I pulled the blankets over my body and closed my eyes. Every question I had now was complicated and unanswered... But for another night, I slept dreamlessly, and oddly felt safer than before.

* * *

Problem was, with the power out, my alarm wasn't going to go off and I would have been late to work. Had it not been for the noisy workers down below working on the street, who woke me up before the sun had come up. Oh, _joy._

I thought as I woke up to a dark sky and knew I wouldn't fall back asleep. But I made the best of the situation; I had to go into work early anyway, and after shower and tea, I could go by Tom's office and thank him before I went in. Lord knows that man gets into work at a good 5am to make sure he has the top story for the morning.

This sounded like a marvelous plan as I walked up to his office with a hot cup of mocha. One of his secretaries said he was on a lower floor and would be back momentarily, so I decided to go to his office and wait. Another problem was, there were already people in there the secretary failed to mention. Their voices echoed from the jarred door.

"You're a lunatic! Dawn is coming _soon_." a woman's voice implored very impatiently.

A man's voice came next, and he didn't sound like Tom. "Quiet! I need to check this quickly..." There was a pause. And I felt that was my cue to look inside Thomas' office.

"Hello?" I asked carefully, opening the door.

The woman's bright green eyes darted directly to mine and she might have gasped, but I supposed it was too quick for me to catch. Orange hair jerked off her shoulders as she tapped the man and pointed to me expectantly. The man who spoke earlier turned; he was tall with dark hair, dressed in a black overcoat; and the pale skin on them both struck me as familiar...

"That's her." he muttered lowly, narrowing his eyes in my direction.

"We don't have time..." The woman argued, a grave worry was struck in her body.

"Just take her with us. Now." he ordered quickly, and they both advanced towards me. I tried to escape or scream, but failed. The orange headed woman was strong and binded my limbs as the male threw his jacket over my head and they stole me together, in ensemble. The secretary looked up but just a moment too late; I was in foreign arms and had disappeared from her sight before anyone noticed I was gone.


	12. Chapter XI

Note: The human woman that is knocked out and kidnapped by a vampire, always always wakes up in a strange room with really nice shit and they are always asleep on silk or satin sheets. I don't care who you are, I know you've read or written a scene like that. It's cliché, but so correct, and so fitting. I love it.

If anyone has seen Dracula II: Ascension (2002), the Dracula in that movie is /so/ Luke's twin brother. Haha. My lol moment of the week was when the asian priest came at the end to kill Dracula and Dracula was like "Bitchplz. -steals black trench coat-" And then that asian priest was all "Oh no you did not just steal my gothic apparel. -kicks shit out of Dracula with a jabby-metal whip-"  
Sad part was that poor white boy lost the love of his life because she got turned into a vampire by Drac. And then in the third Dracula, (Which they kept changing actors for Dracula throughout this entire movie series) the white boy is searching for her finds her in a room full of twenty-five vampire women having a gigantic blood-sucking orgy. Every woman was naked and high on blood and ecstasy or something...and the white boy is still only looking for _her_ in a room full of all of these beautiful naked women totally subdued and ready for some action! That's true love right there. He deserves a Klondike bar.

**Chapter 11 – Deal or Death**

If heaven and cloud nine existed, I was sleeping on it now. My thoughts floated with a gentle rhythm; there was no buzzing in my head, no throbbing or whirring. I was completely at ease on top of silk sheets, I believe, as my hand ran over them. My body was wrapped in the softest material I had ever touched; I felt as if I were dreaming and I was having the most fantastic rest of my entire life. My eyes didn't want to open and end this sensation of perfect serenity, but the one thought that broke the rhythm of my mind was "_Where am I?"_

And when I open my sapphire eyes to look at the foreign room around me, the throbbing and buzzing returned as my heart sped up in pace. I couldn't figure out where I was besides a room, and my eyes flicked around the golden walls and maroon drapes and mahogany furniture until they settled on a person sitting in a chair right next to the queen sized bed my body was sprawled so perfectly on top of. A familiar woman with pale skin and long orange hair flowing down her backside sat perfectly straight and perfectly still, staring at me. The nice secretary outfit she pulled off might have convinced me she was human, but she was not.

As soon as I realized _who_ she was, I recalled the events prior to my waking up in this unknown room. I was going to see Tom, but Taylor and another vampire, this woman before me, were in the room when I walked in and had kidnapped me from there... With a jacket over my head I didn't see where I was being taken and I had passed out, my last thoughts being "_Crap, what if this drowsiness is suffocation and I die like this?"_

If vampires existed in heaven, I was dead. Or the alternative, I was in hell. But hell I imagined a little differently than an elegant room. Another choice I was that still alive. I decided that one was pleasant for the moment. The next, I shot a glare up at the woman and her bright emerald eyes.

She smiled politely and cupped her hands together. "Good, you're awake. You slept longer than I calculated, you must have been exhausted to sleep all day." she started. My frustration melted at her kind words. How odd, I was still trying to glare at her but I could only gaze admirably. She rose from her seat, like a statue coming to life, and she seemed to dance as she walked over in front of the window showing a night sky. "But no matter. I'll just put a rush on you. Get up!" she demanded in an impatient but still kindly tone. I was obliged to do what she said and I jumped down from the bed.

What on earth was she talking about? Another question: Why did these vampires need me besides to kill me, and if not, why not kill me already? And _why _could I not let out a frustrated sigh or grunt?

The vampiress clapped her hands twice and only seconds later the wooden door to the room burst open and several women, young _human_ women wearing maid-like outfits, accumulated into the room holding an assortment of clothing and hair products and make-up and accessories. My eyes went wide as the orange-headed vampire pointed at me and told the maids to bath me and then dress me for the ball.

"My name is Julie, these women are the servants who are going to assist you in getting ready. You have half an hour sharp, my dear. Taylor does not like tardiness."

As soon as she turned to leave, two of the servants grabbed me and guided me towards the bathroom. All of them started talking, but it seemed in pairs they each had a duty and worked together perfectly. The pair who guided me to the very large marble bathroom began to undress me and get a tub of hot water ready. I had several protests and tried to battle them off but something inside told me to comply in order to figure out what was going on.

Never shall one understand the pure awkwardness of being bathed non-sexually by another woman until one has experienced it themselves. I tried asking questions while they handled their tasks, like "Do you know what that Julie woman is?" or "Could you tell me where I am?" or "Who do you work for?" But each of them would ignore my question and tell me about what they were readying me for. A ball. Yeah, I figured that much out awhile ago yet they insisted on repeating it. Humans could be quite annoying. The least they could do was tell me why vampires wanted me dressed me up for a ball rather than putting an end to my life.

After the five minute bath, they dried me quickly and two new woman startled handling my hair. I was desperately trying to hold a towel against my body as they set parts of my hair in curlers while drying other parts. Other servants were arguing over what color dress would look best with my darker golden hair color, bickering about perfume, and nagging about how little time they had to complete me like I was some kind of project.

Finished with the hair, I moved onto a makeup couple who were told by the dressing couple I was going to be in a dress that matched my eyes. Figured. Apparently I looked the best in deep blue colors according to Lucy and these crazy servants.

They probably had every idea of who they worked for, vampires, but were too mind-washed with their duties, and probably the pay, to know or care about the difference. I thought of this as different shadows and liners and powders started getting painted onto my face. Vaguely this reminded me of the night Lucy was dressing me for my birthday party; I smiled when remembering her threat to "beat me if I blinked my eyes one more time" as she attempted eyeliner on me.

I stopped zoning out when I realized I had been moved from make-up to the two who were going to dress me. Lord forbid they had a very extravagant royal blue and black lace-lined dress from centuries ago waiting to put on me, complete with the ridiculously tight corset piece that wouldn't allow me to breath. The two women started cursing at me in French, which I could understand, when I wouldn't suck in enough; but finally the contraption called a dress and shoes was on me and when they turned a full length mirror in my direction, I gasped when not recognizing the being inside.

She had powder white skin from forehead to cleavage and shoulder to fingers, the gorgeous dress allowed her movement to be ghostlike and graceful, and her entire form was exactly how any lover would wish to see. Her golden hair draped like waterfall curls over her shoulder, some of it was pinned up with an assortment of hair accessories. But her face; her face held flaunting dark lips over that white powder. Lips pleading to be taken and were just as beautiful as the deep sapphire eyes sparkling with anticipation, bewilderment, everything I was feeling now inside this strange house or mansion.

Before I could gander at the lady in the mirror another second, I was taken away by the two maids who'd dressed me. "Down the stairs and to the left is the ballroom! Keep your eyes down, _they_ will be staring!"

"They?" I asked. But I knew. So these maids _did_ know who they worked for after all. And they seemed terrified when they mentioned it. My heels clicked on the marble floors and thudded on carpet as they led me out of the room and down several corridors to the large staircase making way to the lower floor.

When I stepped onto the stairs, the hands of the servants had left my arms. "Do not let _them_ seduce you!" I stopped and turned, my eyes instantly drew to the servant's neck. Scars from bite marks. I was very silent as I nodded my head and continued down the stairs, and to the left. Two human doormen waited next to the entrance to a ballroom where jubilant orchestra music was within.

"Welcome, madam." one of the doormen said to me and let me pass. I still wished to know why I was here, for what purpose I was brought to this event in this way.

I entered the large and grand ballroom to see a large sum of people, couples dancing, others standing around with a drink, chatting. The orchestra was settled on the stage; they were perfect in their rhythms and the sound was glorious. I moved to the drinks, hoping for wine. I found a drink of a blood red color; and as I looked closer, the man behind the table hissed and exposed his fangs. Blood. It _was_ blood. "Not for the pretty little human." he said in a threatening tease of pure amusement. I gasped and backed off.

I turned and looked out at everyone else in the room. Pale skin on every one of them and I'm sure I was the only one who had powder. So here I was, trapped in a vampire's ball. I sighed apprehensively and noticed Julie coming towards me from the crowd. Compared to the human-like appearance she had half an hour ago, now she was all dressed up and proper and she looked like a fair-headed goddess. The green dress also matched the stunning emerald eyes of hers; the red lips curled into a wide smile as she approached me and took my hand. "Right on time, deary. Come this way."

I felt the need to comply, but it didn't seem like my own mind had given that need; something about the woman just made me give in to her commands rather than be stubborn about this entire situation. My warm hand gripped tightly unto her cold one as I followed her through the bodies I felt were not human. She stopped me behind the back of a tall gentleman with black hair slicked back nicely to correspond with the black suit. "Mr. Halling." she whispered in his ear as she tapped lightly on his shoulder. He turned, ever so gracefully, and after he set his coal eyes on me he smiled a little too widely and ignored the group he was speaking to only a moment ago.

"Wonderful, Julie." he told her, now taking my hand from her. His cold pale lips pressed a kiss on the top and I shuddered only slightly when literally feeling my pulse under his stone mouth. With his smile I held my breath and vowed I would get a grip and stay calm during this entire event. _They_ were surely playing civilized, I could do it too. "Taylor Halling." he started. "A pleasure to finally meet you when Lucas isn't protecting you like a precious jewel." I didn't like his taunting tone.

I had decided it was best to reveal my true identity, counting on the fact he probably knew who I was already anyway. I let out the breath and felt a more ambitious side of me release as I smiled rather cheekily. "Allison Lockett. A pleasure to meet you when you aren't suggested to kill or kidnap me."

He chuckled and led me towards the dance floor. "I have to admit, you are quite a difficult one to pin to a crime. I never found out you were behind the posters while they were on city walls until I went to the printing shop they came from and asked, and I didn't figure you were behind the newspaper article with the pictures until I gave your dear Thomas a visit."

So that's why he and Julie were at Tom's office close to dawn. They were on a man-hunt to exterminate the one trying to expose vampires. "Last I checked, posters and pictures were not against the law." I told him. Harmless, I thought to myself. I simply wanted to draw vampires out of their hiding places. Looking at Taylor's expression, I understood this was no harmless prank.

"For mortals, maybe. But for immortals, secrecy is the number one law, above all."

I had heard that from Luke too... It would make sense vampires needed secrecy above blood to survive. The public would never allow for vampires to just do what they pleased. It was a wonder vampires had stayed a secret from the most of society over the centuries, but I suppose it was thanks to perfect covers Taylor and others created that the idea of vampires never truly became real to humans.

"Honor me with a dance." the vampire commanded, not suggested. His entire stature, his humored personality and frivolous way of speech; it was insulting and misleading. He seemed nice enough, but I had a feeling that's what he played at. Going for the nice guy when really he has a poison apple ready to hand out to the victim.

I did as he said and followed his flawless steps into a place on the marble dance floor where other couples were already in a waltz with the music. I sighed inwardly; the past always caught up with a person and right now it was for me. Everything I learned about dance during my childhood back at home for the events like this came flooding back to me. As Taylor set his hands where they were supposed to be and made the first step into the rhythm of the music, I instantly followed with a daring pace to keep up with his impeccable movement.

It took a time or two, but I got the hang of the dance quickly and could concentrate on something else. I looked up to Taylor's face with a new non-reluctant personality and my tone grew just as demanding as his had. Finally I was in a position to find out what I'd been wondering. "Please, tell me why I'm here." But I was still polite considering I was the underdog here.

Taylor blinked and the pleasant smile lifted on his thin face again. "You've already figured out that I am tracking down Courtney." he started. Yes, I had figured at the first night I saw Taylor and he said they needed to _contain_ her. She sounded familiar... "Once we capture her, she will be killed since she has committed several crimes against vampire law. The only problem is we cannot get a lead to track her down. We don't know where she hides or what her intention is to everything she has done."

"And just what has she done and how does it apply to me?" I asked, missing the point if there was one. Taylor paused his explanation to spin me out as the waltz commanded. Once I was facing him again, he continued.

"You needn't worry what she's done, only about how you can help us; the coven here."

I closed my mouth and let him continue. His eyes closed and his dark brows fumbled as he thought about what he was going to say and probably decide on what tone to speak in. He chose a low tone, still light enough not to startle me but still deep enough to capture my attention and know he was dead serious. Dark eyes traveled over me and I could feel his hand clenching unto mine harder and then softer again. "You can help us to get to Courtney through Lucas Hawthorn."

I was almost speechless and my first instinct was to deny a relationship between him and I. "I don't see how that would work. Why doesn't Luke just tell you himself?"

"Now that, I cannot tell you. He simply won't comply in our hunt for Courtney, nor will he help us dispose of her once we catch her. But your blood practically screams for him. Your desire for each other feigns strong even for us who do not sense thoughts or emotions."

Now I was speechless, and I stopped our dance. My eyes were wide and they locked to Taylor's coal colored ones with an uncertainty and loathing for speaking that aloud. The stubborn Lockett side of me wanted to deny every word of what he said but I knew it was true; Luke was not just a vampire, but a man. A man with a desire for me, and a returned desire from myself.

Taylor was a genius for figuring that much out and wanting to use me to get to him through that passion.

"Lucas Hawthorn has a strong interest and desire to keep you alive, my dear. It wouldn't be difficult at all for you to get a sample of his blood." Taylor said as he led me to the side of the dancers.

"And why would you need Luke's blood?" I asked.

"Blood holds knowledge and secrets. For example, where she is and what her intent is. There are other ways than a sample of his blood; maybe he has her location recorded somewhere; or perhaps you could get him to tell you. It doesn't matter how, we just want the information."

"...How would Luke know these things?" My memories flickered back to the night at the movie; Luke and Courtney had known each other. And he had a hint of desire in his eyes for her I didn't miss...A very hostile desire.

Taylor scented the air in front of me, closed his eyes, then sighed and opened them again. "Ah, well, let's just say he has relations with her."

I was defeated, inwardly. I knew Taylor wasn't lying to me but I didn't want it to be true, and I didn't know why I wanted that. What did it matter to me if Luke had 'relations' with another vampire? A vampire who looked familiar and oddly enough, sounded familiar since the first time Luke told me her name... Shaking my silly emotions from my head, I looked back up to Taylor and concentrated on something else. "Vampires have special abilities, correct?"

His dark hair didn't shift as he nodded his head and replied "The ability, whatever it is, develops with age of the vampire."

I nodded in return and smiled as light heartedly as I could. "I think I may know what yours is."

"Enlighten me." he said with a fang-filled smile. My smile grew nervous, but I wasn't speechless. "Scent. Just a moment ago you scented the air, and I'm sure it wasn't to get a whiff of this already too-strong French perfume. I'm going to guess... Envisioning by scent?"

"Correct." He chuckled; it didn't help me relax. "I simply smell the different scents on you and I can see what you've done and where you've been, who you've been around..."

I thought about the alleyway that one night with Felicia. Taylor saw who killed her because he'd smelt the air and saw the event in his head. "That's a convenient talent for an investigator such as yourself."

"Yes." he said simply, and led us back to the dance floor. On the way he grabbed a wine glass off of a tray from one of the many pale-skinned waiters walking around with drinks. Red blood drained into his mouth and he let out a quenched sigh after setting the glass back down. I gulped when thinking it was challenging for him to talk to me if he was thirsty and the dress didn't exactly cover my neck, or shoulders, or cleavage.

His eyes never drew lower than my chin, however, as any gentlemen with a larger goal than woman on the mind would. This made me just a tiny bit more comfortable in the arms of the hunter. The orchestra began playing a new song and Taylor glanced behind me and my eyes followed; Julie was watching from afar. I turned back to him and he led me into a dance once again.

"The woman with orange hair, Julie, her ability is...manipulation?" I asked.

He looked beyond me, I assumed at her, and laughed out loud, but then his gaze lowered back to my eyes as I expected clarification. "Not quite. It is, to an extent. She has the ability to manipulate your body into submission; in simpler terms, agreement. It can be overcome, since she is young, or else we'd have what we want from Luke already."

I sat thoughtfully on this. That was why I felt the need to comply to what she said. "And Luke?"

Taylor held my waist and I had to lean back and rely on my partner to hold my weight for this part of the dance. He smirked as his face hovered over mine. "A sort of mind reading, telepathy, but instead of reading thoughts he sees and can project images, memories, and certain emotions evoked with those pictures."

I smiled inwardly as our bodies straightened again and the dance continued. I had guessed that! The excitement died after I figured why he was freely telling me these things after he just mentioned secrecy being vampire's number one law. His darker plan behind the toothy grin was...well, how does a human stay quiet for good? He was telling me anything I asked because the end was near.

"Why should I help you?" I asked politely, but the dislike was still caught on my tongue.

Taylor smiled shallowly and replied, "You don't exactly have a choice."

A sudden uplift in the music called for each male to pick up their partner and spin them gracefully in the air; I followed through with the lift and touched gracefully back to the ground, then the regular harmony of the dance resumed.

"If you do comply, your life will be extended to however long our intentions reach. If you do not, you are still a human who has threatened the vampire laws of secrecy. And those terms are punishable by death, to both vampires and mortals." My curly wheat colored hair switched over my shoulder as Taylor held my hand and spun my body under his arched arm.

As the room rushed around in my turn and I was stopped in my partner's grasp again, I clearly saw it now. Every other couple in the elegant room was indeed one of pale skin and deep gazes; a vampire's ball and I was the only human present. "I see." I managed to tell him, swallowing a lump that was trying to choke me.

"Is that your consent?" he asked, stopping our movement from the rhythm of the orchestra.

I took in a slow breath, searching his eyes for some sort of lie, or deceit. I found none and made my decision.

"I will help you to use Luke and lead a way to my family's killer, Taylor. If it ensures her to be contained and stopped from ever harming anybody again, you have my word." My gaze held strong with his because a nervous misplacement was building since I was the only human in the room.

Relief still didn't come as he grinned with satisfaction to my answer. "Good."

I swallowed hard and finished the rest of the dance mulling over my decision. Yes, I was deceiving Luke by doing this, _but it was only right_ I told the churning feeling in my gut. Even if I didn't want to, I shared Taylor's outlook on the situation. Whatever Courtney was, she had to be stopped. She murdered my mother, and for that I would do everything I could to make sure she was killed. I knew I couldn't kill her on my own, so if I had to rely on Taylor and other vampires to take care of her for me, so be it.

The song ended some time later and the dance finished with each partner bowing towards each other. When I raised my head from looking at the marble floor, Julie was there next to Taylor, and the both of them began to lead me out of the room, each of my hands entwined with their ivory fingers. Every pair of vampire eyes watched us as we exited.

"Why a ball?" I suddenly asked them both as the three of us entered the otherwise empty grand lobby. The doormen closed the doors to the ballroom and the orchestra became a hum behind the walls.

"We like formal events." They said together at once. Speechless, I thought that this suggested the two of them were authority-like figures here, however a vampire coven worked with ranks.

"Now that this has been decided, there's one other variable we must address." Julie began.

"This event. Luke is an older vampire than any here; he will see this meeting from your mind. You must concentrate your thoughts on something else not related to this in anyway, and that is what Luke shall see if he uses his telepathy on you." the male vampire explained to me carefully. "But I have no doubt you're a wonderful actress considering you've fooled every mortal around you into believing you are someone you are not. Do not give him a reason to search your mind for it when you see him tonight."

I took a note of what Taylor said, was annoyed when he added that bit about being an actress to spite me, but I caught that he reminded me I was supposed to be meeting Luke tonight! Not to mention work; if I was inside this mansion for an entire day, I missed work! My sapphire eyes were wide with realization but Taylor pulled me toward the pillars next to the staircase and gained my attention again with his hand placed around my throat. His soft expressions hardened into cold hearted seriousness, and I was pressed against the pillar in a more threatening way than I'd seen all night.

"If you try and run out on our deal, we'll have a dozen or more trackers on your before you have a chance to get out of state. And they are trained to kill without leaving so much as a single drop of blood for evidence to the precious human authority."

I nodded my head as my eyes darted back and forth from Taylor to Julie. "I understand, I've already agreed. Why terrify a woman further?" I replied to them. They smirked when hearing the shaky fear in my otherwise strong voice. Taylor's hand moved from my neck.

"Just making sure you're not going to back out of our agreement. And the justice you seek from us will never be realized." I was had nothing left to say to the vampire Taylor and Julie shuffled me up the stairs as Taylor returned to the ballroom. She instructed me to change out of the dress and clean up before going home or to Luke's or wherever I was supposed to be going next. I followed this order quickly and I was half-running out of the mansion before the clock said eleven. Fresh clothes were on my body and hardly a trace of mascara was left on my face. I waited on the street for a cab and glanced back at the mansion.

It was a gorgeous white stone exterior, but in a more inviting perspective than Luke's because there was not a forest of trees and vines aiding the age of the stone. The mansion of the vampires, I would call this place, since vampires seemed to be giving orders to humans and living in and running the household. Perhaps this was some sort of central meeting place for the largest covens in the city. I wouldn't know and right now it was irrelevant; there was something that kept drawing back to the top of my mind. Something that struck me as odd or familiar when I heard the name Courtney mentioned around vampires...

I had to hurry back to my apartment and check on something before I did anything else. I half hoped that what I hypothesized was wrong, and half hoped I was correct.

When a cab came and went and I was darting up the stairs to my apartment, I opened the unlocked door and saw one of the last sights I wanted and expected to see.

Lucy was in my living room with her nose buried into my vampire research journal. Several other documents about my country and my family were open and out of their place. _No_, I thought. Her expression was that of horror and disbelief, like she couldn't believe what she was reading. And then her trembling aqua eyes looked up to me and the sparkle of them returned when she recognized who I was.

"Ally..." Her tone was a mixture of happiness, relief and concern; and then her smile fell as she realized I didn't want her looking through my things, _at all_.

"Lucy?! What the hell are you doing here?" I was angry and flustered and it showed in my voice and my face. _No_, I thought again. Three years I'd kept a great cover for my name and heritage! And it all crashed down to one person reading a single sentence on a page.

Lucy's face fell, and she was innocent so she resembled a child with her hand in the cookie jar. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have looked through your stuff..."

"That _wasn't_ the question." I returned sharply, taking the book from her hands. I think I tore something. I was too angry to care.

She cringed at the sharpness of my words, but she was still obviously worried about me, even a little scared by my actions. "You didn't come into work today... Everyone was worried, especially after Felicia's disappearance, we didn't know what to think. Daniel has a little search party out looking for you but I told him I'd stay here in case you came back."

I turned away from her and set the papers on the table. I couldn't be angry with her; she was only trying to help. But I didn't want her snooping into my interest with vampires! It would only cause more complications, questions and worry from her and Daniel. If she really wanted to 'help' she would probably recommend me to a professional every week or end up questioning my identity and my history. How could she accept that her friend believed in vampires and searched for them? I didn't need any of that, not now.

"I'm fine." I told her a little more calmly. "I'll talk to the boss tomorrow and tell him this was all a misunderstanding."

"He would have fired you today but I told him you had reasons, with the drive-in movie and everything. I told him you were probably still overwhelmed with seeing people murdered in front of your eyes."

"Thanks." It was only half-hearted. I felt sick the more I wondered what was really going through her mind. "What did you read." I didn't exactly ask, I wanted an answer. Oh God, what if she read in my notebook that Luke was a vampire?

"I only saw the newspaper articles about the Lockett queen and her daughter going missing, with leads that they were in America. And the article about police finding the queen, murdered, her daughter still missing. And only a couple of your notes about vampires and covens of them in the city."

Good. She hadn't read anything on Luke or any names of anyone who was a vampire. But now I wondered if she suspected who I was, _really_. Knowing Lucy, she was smart. She was much more intelligent than Daniel at times and would be able to piece everything together and figure it out.

"I'm really sorry I looked, I was just..."

"Curious. I understand. I would have done the same." my tone was sharp, my answer was very simple. She paused and waited until my mood relaxed a little more and she could get a whole phrase in without me cutting her off.

"I'm not here to judge you, Ally. If you don't want me to question why you have all of this stuff, I won't. I'll just wait until you're ready to tell me."

Shit. I felt my anger completely subsided and it was replaced with guilt; I felt terrible with the way I snapped at her. I looked at her, and that truthful and loyal look in her eyes, hit a vessel within me. She knew how to speak to the human soul, she did. Lucy was definitely some sort of human angel; very rare and I suddenly felt very fortunate to have her as a friend in my life. I knew that if I did tell her anything, and whatever I told her, she'd still accept me and I could trust her with the knowledge. But right now was not the time.

"Thank you." I said to her now, much more genuinely than before. I tried to smile, but my lips only twitched and the next thing I knew Lucy was in my arms, returning a tight and very warm hug. "I'm sorry, now. Don't worry about it, really. Just...call Daniel and tell him I'm alright."

She separated from me and nodded her head, her sparkling aqua eyes were glistening with tears but she didn't let one escape.

"I'll explain everything to you, but some other time." I promised her.

She nodded, wiping her eyes before pulling out her phone. As she made the call, I walked toward my room. Inside, in the box under the bed with several trinkets from Allison's Lockett's life was a fairytale book. A fairytale book complete with my country's beliefs and legends. And inside this book, which I opened and was pending for the moment of truth, is the story of Sir Stephan and the vampire Courtney.


	13. Chapter XII

Note: I just want to take time out to say another big **thank you** to all of my readers. 40+ reviews! I'd never thought I'd reach that before 15 chaps. And over 2700 page views. I'm so touched. Thank you!

**Chapter 12 – Fairytale**

"Once upon a time, in a kingdom far far away, there lived a prince. This prince was brave, strong, handsome, and his name was Stephan IV. The prince was supposed to take the throne from his father, the king, and rule over all of the land after Stephan married.

"So Prince Stephan searched the entire kingdom for the fairest maiden that lived on the land. After several months, he found the woman he was looking for. She was a poor woman who lived by herself near the mountains, outcast by the people of the nearby village who said horrible things of her. Her beauty surpassed any other woman Stephan had seen; she had curly honeysuckle hair and deep blue eyes. Despite the discouraging rumors Prince Stephan heard from his people, he still wanted her as his bride. Her name was Courtney and soon after meeting the prince, they were announced to be married.

"The queen-to-be came to the castle by night, was active under darkness and slumbered during the day. Still, the townspeople warned the Prince of terrible things about his choice, but he ignored them all when looking upon her beautiful face.

"The night before the wedding, the troubled Stephan came to Courtney's chamber to discuss the townspeople's words with her. When he walked into her room, she sat before a mirror and did not cast a reflection! Immediately the Prince drew his sword, for he knew a being who did not cast a reflection was a curse one indeed. "Reveal yourself!" he shouted. His bride transformed into a beast and attacked him.

"Prince Stephan was brave and skilled and although the beast injured him, he stabbed her in the gut and she recoiled, "Ye shall pay for thy wickedness!" she shouted before escaping into the night.

"And Prince Stephan never saw the monster again and he took a different woman for his bride, and lived happily ever after as King Stephan IV." After I was finished, I set the book down and looked at the final illustration on the page. A disfigured picture of what the artist thought Courtney should look like for a watered-down children's book. That version of the story was one told to me as a child, modified to suit true events since Stephan did not live happily ever after; he died before fifty like every Lockett male after him, including my father.

Lucy sat very still as I read this story aloud and when I was done she did not speak a single word to question why I had read that tale at a time like this.

I ignored her stare and walked passed her into my living room. Everything made so much more sense now. The night of my birthday, Daniel had said he mistook another woman for me. He must have seen Courtney walking out of the club with Felicia, who led her alone somewhere and took her life under the moonlight. Weren't the skies only partially covered that night? Bite marks were on Felicia's arms and legs...

And the wolf attacks all around the city. They weren't from any normal gray wolf, but a vampire with a violent appetite in a wolf form. That's why the authorities and animal control couldn't find the beast; she was either sleeping, masquerading as a woman or a wolf under moonlight. Now for Courtney's personal intent; there were suggestions she had her own fledglings, suggestions she'd committed crimes against other vampires...

A knock came from the front door that interrupted my thoughts. A moment later Daniel burst into my apartment and rushed toward me, picked me up into a big bear hug that practically squeezed the air out of my lungs. "What. The. Bloody. Hell!" he shouted at me after he released me. I dropped back to the floor and gasped in a mouthful of air. "Where were you all day? What the devil were you thinking, leaving us to bloody worry about you? Like if some wanker got you in an alley or if some nit decided to take a crack at you in the street, we couldn't have known since you didn't answer your celly or anythin' of that sort!" His accent was so twisted at some points in his rant, I almost couldn't tell he was speaking English. My, he was so flustered! He pulled on his shirt to cool himself, since he looked like he'd gotten into a fight with that bloody lip, and ran his hand through his chocolate curls in hopes to straighten the mess. "Bloody...what the hell...FUCK!"

Both Lucy and I jumped at his outspoken way of expressing himself. "Danny, calm down!" I shouted back.

He bit his knuckle and sighed, trying to relax himself. "Right, right...apologies for that, mate." He started pacing after shutting my front door. "I was just worried, alright? All day I was making a big deal about you missing and you were probably just out for a walk or something... Where were you, by the way? I think I deserve to know, since I walked all the way from uptown to downtown; scary things happen in between those two places you don't want to know about." He looked to Lucy now and saw the worried expression on her face.

"Ah, sweetheart, sorry for the fright." he told her and walked over to give her a big comforting hug as well. "It doesn't matter, just as long as we know you're safe, lass." He turned to me and added.

I felt compassionately reassured. I'd never seen Daniel so worked up about anything before; except Lucy awhile back when she didn't answer her phone one day because she had gotten hammered at a bar the night before and went home with a friend. Daniel nearly had a heart attack when he knew she didn't come home from the bar that night and he had been ridiculous with his theories of what happened to her. I could only guess Lucy had experienced that rare overly-worried side of him while I was missing.

"You're bleeding," Lucy noted in a concerned tone. She touched his lip to wipe the blood off and he winced when her hand brushed a bruise on his cheekbone. "Sorry! What happened?"

"Scary things downtown, love." he started, wiping his lip with his sleeve. "Some faggot came onto me in a bar downtown when I went in to ask if they'd seen you, Ally." he glanced to me and I looked at him oddly.

"Why would I be in a gay bar?"

"I don't bloody know! I was desperate to see if anyone had seen you, thanks for appreciating I was worried." I silenced and let him continue. "Anyway, I tried telling the poor wasted guy, very kindly mind you, "I'm not into men," you see, but he didn't get the message and tried molesting me right there in the bar!"

Lucy and I couldn't help but giggle. He shouted at us to shut up and became very flustered again. "Did the drunken gay man hurt you, Danny?" Lucy teased.

"Not exactly. See, I had to set the guy straight, no pun intended, so I just gave him a friendly punch to the face. Nothing too rough or violent, just something to set his senses on the right track and get him off me. Well, turns out the faggot had a mate. A big, burly bloke who decided he didn't like me punching his little boyfriend." he told us hotly.

"So you didn't get beat up by the drunken gay guy, but the sober boyfriend decided to kick your ass?" I couldn't contain my laughter.

"Yes!" Lucy and I couldn't stop laughing. "What the hell, guys! I thought you'd show me a little compassion for getting my ass kicked while I was lookin' for yours!" He pointed at me and I stopped.

I remembered I had somewhere I needed to be, someone I needed to see and get answers from...

And I needed these two out of my hair until tomorrow, when I would explain everything. Well, almost everything.

I darted over into the kitchen and came back out with a bottle of the finest French wine that was in a cupboard hidden behind my microwave. "Here." I said and presented the bottle to them. "An apology gift for making you both worry and go to all this trouble. Go home together and enjoy." I said politely and suggestively. Daniel was overjoyed and took the bottle but Lucy was not convinced. She'd seen me when I walked in, she knew something was obviously wrong but she also knew I didn't want her to worry right now.

"Okay. Goodnight, Ally." she said sweetly. They both embraced me and headed for the exit. Daniel winked at me with the wine before closing the door behind him. I grinned when knowing at least one night was going to go well. Now I needed to worry about my own.

I changed clothes from the ones given to me at the vampire mansion and headed to Luke's via cab after that.

For the third time I found myself in front of this place, with my hands on the cold black iron bars of the fence surrounding the mansion that belonged to Lucas the vampire. I could hardly see a thing besides the vegetation the street light allowed me to see in the yard. I took in a breath and moved toward the gate; it opened slowly with a shrilling creak.

Some other noise paralleled the gate and I turned my head to the left where I thought I heard it. Nothing seemed to be along the sidewalk, but I could have missed anything in the darkness of the night.

A flash caught my eye from Luke's mansion. Through the windows, each room's light turn on one by one until the entire house was lit. I ignored the noise and saw this as a sign of invitation from Luke to welcome me inside.

I closed the gate behind me and walked up to the lion head knockers on the oak doors. Before I could reach for the handle, the door opened for me and he was standing there, perfect and pale as always. He was very cleaned up, and actually managed to put on a shirt for this encounter. But it hardly helped considering the button-up front only used two of the buttons and his matching dress pants still clung low to those inviting hip bones. His hair was neatly combed back on his skull and, dear god, what cologne was he wearing? I felt so under prepared compared to his tidy appearance.

"I expected you sooner." he told me inquisitively as I walked inside.

"Missed me that much?" I replied sharply, but playfully. I hoped he wasn't suspecting anything. As Taylor instructed me, I focused my thoughts on some other event in case Luke decided to look into my thoughts. I don't believe he did.

I heard the door click shut behind me and my eyes traveled over his home once again. The fancy interior had been cleaned drastically from the last time I was here. There used to be a layer of dust covering every object, sheets over some furniture and altogether looked as if the house was abandoned. Now, everything was just as clean and arranged perfectly; the trinkets shined, the furniture suitable and each cobweb had been carefully lifted away. Perhaps it was just the exquisite and attractive style of the room, but it reminded me of the palace back at home. My focus faltered for a moment as I remembered one of the many maids from my childhood, how she had to make sure everything was always flawless before guests could enter our royal home.

The chain memory was broken when Luke's cold fingers gently peeled my jacket off my shoulders and set it on a coat hanger. "I cleaned since the last time you walked in here." I didn't miss that he mimicked my words from the night before when I accused him of breaking into my apartment. I laughed dryly and muttered a subtle thank you for the polite jester.

Just another moment of silence and I would have gotten straight to the point of this rendezvous, but Luke was keen on keeping a calm and very thrift conversation. "Would you like a tour?"

I opened my mouth to say something else, then closed it when actually hearing the question. The answer was "Yes," but we really had more important things to be discussing in this moment. "Let's procrastinate the core of this conversation, shall we?"

He ignored my comment and set a firm hand on my lower back to guide me to the large living room. I recalled walking in there last time since the spiraling stairs were to the side. "Perhaps if it was more than just me inhabiting this building, this room would be used as a gathering place." Next were the dining room and a small ballroom that had glass doors opening to a lovely little garden-path in the back. This one was nowhere as big as the one at the Vampire's Mansion, but I quickly dismissed that thought as Luke brought me through a hallway to a study.

The room was private, peaceful, compensated with everything a scholar would need, or for just relaxing in. The library branching off from the study room was nothing less than impressive and very attractive with its old-fashion-like feel. Candles and oil lamps were the only things giving this collective room light. It was here Luke ended his little procrastination stunt he called a tour and shut us both into the room. "Feel free to look around. We have all night, after all." He grinned suggestively and I suddenly felt unsure of being the only human in the room, for the second time tonight.

I grabbed a candle sitting on the edge of a desk and made my way around a book shelf just to browse at the titles. I was curious to see just what subjects a vampire kept in their own personal library, and Luke must have brought me in here for a reason. Everything I wanted to know must be in the books.

I was amazed. There seemed to be endless amounts of titles just as well as subjects. They ranged anywhere from Shakespeare's plays to Homer and Dante; from great history books and art encyclopedias to personal diaries of famous people all throughout history. Most books were in English, but some were French, others Italian and a few other languages I didn't recognize at all but probably derived from Asia. When I believe I was in the fiction section of the assortment, I laughed quietly when seeing Bram Stroker's Dracula and an assortment of other fictional novels dealing with vampires.

"I find it humorous as well, with me being a vampire. I felt compelled to own copies of the 'vampire classics.'" I nearly dropped the candle when Luke's voice was right next to my ear. A silent gasp in took with a breath as his chilling fingers slid around my shoulders and traveled along to my neck. "So tense." he told me in the other ear.

"I wonder why." I shot back to him with the steadiest voice I could manage. There were more important things on hand to be brought up, and even though I was about to receive probably the most glorious neck massage ever, I turned sharply around to break the contact with his hands. I regretted doing so as I had spun right around to meet his body, which was already standing close and I became trapped between him and the bookshelf.

He smirked and extinguished the flame of the candle with two fingers. I objected to his actions but he just chuckled and pressed against me in the darker moment. "Luke!" I objected again. This playful banter he had going to distract us from the reason for being here was becoming ridiculous! I closed my eyes with my palms on his masculine chest and tried to gain the strength to push him off. Naturally, it was very useless. I don't think he even budged against my obvious strain, but when feeling him shift upwards under my fingers, I saw him reaching for a book on the highest shelf above my head.

"Try this one."

Luke handed me a book with no title and a blank navy cover. It was very old, very dusty, and the pages, as he opened it, were aged to a yellowish tint and the words within looked as if they were hand written. I glanced at the shelf he pulled it from; it was full of the identical title-less books like some sort of old encyclopedia collection.

"The history of vampires, written by vampires, for vampires eyes only."

My mortal eyes widened and a small smile came to my lips as I looked from him to the book. I tried soaking in what the text said but I realized quickly it was written in Latin. "Written in a dead language for the dead?" I added comically.

He laughed genuinely, and it was probably the most beautiful sound a voice could make. "I like to write in Latin." he defended calmly. Next he led me over to a lamp resting on a desk beside a comfortable lounge couch.

"Wait." I stopped, holding the worn book in my hands. "You wrote this?"

"Some of it." he replied and seated himself on the arm of the couch. I followed in the cushion next to him. "Each of those books on the top shelf are collaborations with different vampires on various subjects. This volume is one of the last. I was fortunate enough that the publishers were constructing it in my age and wanted my input; mostly about events I witnessed and were a part of that were later considered significant in vampire history. The earlier volumes were produced long before my time by elder vampires, over a thousand years old, but most of them have died out by now. The ones who haven't stepped into the sun are within the earth, dormant."

I listened carefully. "You'll have to translate some of it for me, but some other time." I said and set the book in his hands. I pondered over what I wanted to ask him next as he set the book aside. "So, how old are you?"

"It depends." he dipped his head thoughtfully; I watched his neat blond hair fall over his eyes. "Do you mean how long it has been since I was changed or how many years I've walked the earth?"

I thought over this for a moment. "The prior, and how old you were when it happened. How did it happen? Who turned you?"

"In eighteen years I will be five centuries old, age twenty-four, I was changed against my will during a hunt by a vampire who was killed for treason."

Perhaps I shouldn't have asked so many questions at once if he was going to mold the answers together like that. "So, four-hundred-and-eighty-two?" I waited a moment as we looked at each other and he nodded. "What treason did the name-less vampire commit?"

"His, or I should say,_ their_ crimes were breaking vampire law. There was a young, ignorant, rogue group of vampires long ago who slaughtered ruthlessly, mortals and immortals alike, and did as they pleased without trying to hide what they were. Revealing one's self as a vampire is against our law, and killing our own, unless they are uncontrollable fledglings under that vampire, is also against code. Another they defied was to change a large amount of people and not take up the proper responsibility with those fledglings. Such as, giving insight to newborns of our law and what we are. I was one of those unfortunate who they changed and they abandoned to writhe in the vastness of immortality alone." He looked over the volume I had in my hand with a dark glint of a buried emotion in his eye. "Their names are not important. Later, after I found some of my own kind, I learned who the group was and that they had been executed. From there, I journeyed on in my new _life_."

I mulled over his words for a few seconds to make sure I grasped all he was explaining. "What did you do? How have you coped with immortality in all that time, Luke?"

He looked in a different direction and his eyes glazed over in thought. I sat patiently, but very vividly interested, and he turned his head my direction again with a small smile on his lips. "That question has many aspects to it that will take more than the rest of this night to answer. Some things I'll need to show you, since I can't really explain everything in words. I can see that you want the story of my life and nothing less than that."

I was disappointed and almost poked my bottom lip out to pout. He was right about what I wanted though; if he was going to finally tell me about himself, I wanted the best story possible. I glanced at my watch; a little passed one. "I guess that means I should come back tomorrow night."

"Yes, and for a few more nights, Allison. You want to know quite a bit and we could go over it all in one or two nights, but I recall you have a job and I haven't made an appearance for mine in awhile. Perhaps if you come over sooner, tomorrow..."

I nodded and directed my thoughts away from why I was late tonight. He arose from his seat and started walking towards the door to show me out, but I didn't move from my place. I stood and tapped my foot once on the ground and he stopped in his tracks. He'd been expecting me to follow and listen to everything he said? I crossed my arms and gave my best impenetrable tone.

"The night is not yet over and I'm not leaving, Luke. For some reason you keep avoiding the most inevitable question of them all: Who is Courtney V and what does she have to do with me?" I wanted an explanation, I wanted something other than avoiding the subject, like Taylor had when he told me Courtney committed crimes and had relations, but hadn't cared to explain what crimes or what sort of relations. I needed his answer anyway, but I wanted to know about Courtney just as much as Taylor did and I was prepared to go to drastic measures to draw that answer from the abyss of his knowledge.

Luke slowly switched heels to face me. The couple of yards between us hardly mattered with the dense atmosphere I had just cloaked us in. I planted myself to the ground, arms tied and eyebrow raised almost to a point of viciousness. His expression was blank at first, but after seeing the impatient determination on my face he frowned indifferently and hummed darkly. In the blink of an eye he came close to me, just a centimeter off from my body. My senses expected collision and I fell back without meaning, and right as my bottom landed on the couch he had kneeled down before me and took each of my knees to a side of his torso. I moved my hands to push his chest from between my legs but he caught my wrists in the air and pinned them awkwardly; one hand at my side and the other behind my head, which forced me to lean back against the furniture and gave him an easy place to rest his body quite comfortably on mine.

"Luke," I made my voice sound as rejecting and annoyed as I could as I struggled underneath his body, but his lips crashed over mine and a groan of protest came from me before a moan of pleasure. I hadn't realized he freed my hands, his circled my back and mine wrapped in his hair; until I felt the cushion shift underneath me and I had been repositioned to lay flat, with his weight crawling over mine.

I knew exactly what he was doing, he was distracting me from the question I had just asked him! Perhaps too soon for his tongue to caress the inside of my mouth with a great skill I had not experienced from any other, I yanked vigorously on his hair until he parted from me and yelped in pain. "You're still avoiding the question, damn you!" I shot at him as I untangled my hands and pulled out from under him. He growled and touched his hair where I might have pulled a few strands out...

"I delay because you won't like the answer." he told me in a hushed voice. He gathered himself to sit up and took the care to angle away from me. He let his forehead fall into his hands, like any troubled man, and I leaned close to his ear.

"I probably won't if you say I won't, but that just interests me more. I know you have _relations_ with her, so why don't you start there?" I was pressuring him so much in tone and actions.

"You sound like a jealous girlfriend, and that's not a good image for someone of your standards." he spat sharply at me. I winced at the tiny bit of verbal abuse, but I could tell he didn't mean what he said. Now, instead of seduction, he was using his darker element to keep me from the subject. I was determined to convince him to tell me what he knew. He drew me here just as I wanted him and the knowledge he held, why was he hiding it now? I believed, over all, that I deserved to know what had to deal with me and my family. Regardless of Taylor, and vampires and the history of vampires.

He wouldn't look at me so I drew my finger under his chin, but he nodded his head away from my touch. "Look at me." I commanded. A flare of dominance that was coded into my royal blood expelled now. I grabbed his chin, as he did to me the night before, and his neck moved to obey where I jerked it. We stared directly into each other's eyes for a moment and I asked him to tell me about Courtney. "This isn't a trick question." My tone had grown suddenly softer and somewhat illustrious compared to the demands I was making earlier. "Just tell me how you know who I am, and what Courtney has to do with me and my family and what she doing right now in this city. Slaughtering innocent citizens in the dozens right out in the open, why?" I shifted and moved closer to his stunned face. "Please?" I added more breathily, and let my lips just barely brush his own parted ones. Dare I let myself act in this way, but I was rather desperate at this point against his difficult resistance. He leaned closer into my kiss with a force, but I pulled away and set a finger on top of his icy mouth. My look was expectant, and finally when I had just a tiny bit of control over his actions, he submitted to the question.

Luke stood quickly and began pacing along the design on the library carpet. "Dawn is in three hours, but you'll want to leave before then when I tell you."

My patience was running thin and his voice was calm but growing in intensity. "Try me, Luke." I wasn't sure what to expect.

His pacing stopped and turned to face me. "Courtney Vengeance has everything to do with you and your family, Allison. That legend of Stephan IV and Courtney the vampire is based on truth but the version you know is completely preposterous. I was there, you must understand, when Courtney set the curse upon your family so long ago in the past. It is she who has held a grudge over the Lockett's and killed every man in your ancestry since Stephan." I listened passively but I felt a strong emotion of anger and denial building inside me. I watched Luke's fists tighten as he went on. "I knew exactly who you were the first moment I saw you, not because I could see your thoughts and memories, but because you are the spitting image of her, Allison. Did you honestly not notice the physical similarities between you and her? You are a fool to believe your country's old folk tales of Courtney always being a monster. It wasn't always so!"

He was defending her with a striking tone that made me hang my head in my hands. I needed to calm my thoughts and heating emotions. Was everything he was telling me true, Courtney had killed my family all along and passed on the dread of the curse in every generation? One vampire put my entire family in a fear of inevitable death? "No..." I muttered shakily. I wanted to deny it all, but there was no reason for him to lie.

"Don't be foolish. You are many things; persistent, ambitious, _beautiful_ but foolish isn't one of them!" he was shouting now. I was drawn back but anger was still swirling inside me like a vortex. I took deep, even breaths, but Luke's words hit me over and over again as my mind replayed them.

"Why would she kill my mother, then? She certainly wasn't a Lockett male. She didn't even have the Lockett blood!" I tried not to shout but the rage was climbing.

Luke's voice grew dangerously calm. "I'm not sure exactly, but she cares nothing about the lives of the mortals and she kills with an unstoppable horror and delicacy. Drawing blood, from the mortal or immortal is all that makes sense to her. She doesn't have any other reason to exist except to kill." He paused and jerked a hand through his hair. The neatness of it was lost, as was the expectations of this night. "It's a possibility she was enraged with you and your mother's tactics to stay away from your country and her curse."

"Then, then why hasn't she come after me yet?"

"She already has."

My eyes widened with misunderstanding. "What do you mean?"

"Felicia's murder. The slaughtering at the movie-lot when you happened to be there. She's trying to get your attention and send you a message. I wouldn't be particularly surprised if she attacked one of your closer friends next."

"Don't say that." I snapped back at him in a harsh whisper. I was very silent and shaking slightly as I thought over what Luke had just told me. So Courtney wanted me? Or, she wanted my family's blood. And I was the last of the Lockett's, refusing to go home and marry... But why did she want these things to a point of pure madness?

I stopped my questioning as a different realization set in. "Wait. You said you were there when it began. You were there when all of this killing continued right in front of your eyes?"

"Yes." he answered solemnly.

"And, according to legend, the time that my family was cursed was about three-hundred years ago, and you're close to five-hundred." I stood from my seat on the couch as my mind began to calculate what this all meant. Luke watched me inquisitively as I circled around him. "That means around two-hundred years of strength over another vampire. You are strong, are you not?" He nodded but narrowed his eyes to try and figure out what I was getting at. "If you know the truth about everything, why didn't you ever try and stop her?"

He raised his head and answered a little too quickly for my liking. "I'm the only man she respects as an immortal. Why should I break that alliance?"

I stopped and shot daggers into his icy blue eyes. I couldn't reply to that. I couldn't say _"Hm, well, the woman standing in front of you right now that you've been lusting over the past week sure isn't a good enough reason. No, not at all. Might I remind you that the other night you couldn't even control yourself around said woman and were ready to take her right in the very public alleyway?"_

"I can't believe you." I shook my head as my voice was laced with distaste.

He caught the error of his words too late. I was storming out of his mansion. I yanked my jacket off of the coat hanger when reaching the entrance, I might have ripped the material, but I didn't care. When I opened the door, he tried to stop me by setting his arm in the doorway. I dodged under it.

"You haven't even given me a chance to explain!" he called after me.

I stopped my dramatic exit halfway through the yard and spun around. "Oh, you will, Lucas. You will when I come back tomorrow, goddamn you!" I was shouting. I don't think I needed to be but I was angry, and blinded, and tired. I didn't want to hear the story behind the why right now when I was this angry. I didn't care that I was walking away from a god-sent body standing in the doorway like some sort of love-sick super model (because that's what he was). I just had my biggest question answered... The answer to the Lockett curse was that Courtney, that beautiful sinister wicked devil, was behind it all. I turned around again and ran to the gate. "And you know what else? You were absolutely right. I didn't like the answer one bit!" I probably sounded silly by shouting a bunch of nonsense like that just because I was angry.

But it didn't matter. I ran to my apartment and slammed the door closed and locked my dignity in a box while I kicked and screamed so childishly for those few minutes of steaming.

And then I passed out on the bed from pure anticlimactic events.

That night I dreamed of the horrors of dancing in a vampire's ball. _Julia had brought me back again, all dressed up for round two. I was in Taylor's arms and he directed me toward another couple on the dance floor, Luke and Courtney, who were in a comforting embrace with the music. They were both gorgeous, and it hurt me to see them together in such a way. "You failed me." Taylor said simply._ And I awoke with an invisible pain of fangs in my neck. When checking my neck in the mirror, I would find no injuries, once again.

It was light outside when I awoke, and when glancing at the clock, I was already late for work. I sighed and made my way to the window to open it and let the breeze drift through my sloppy morning wheat and russet hair. The rage had passed, now I only had a clear head and certain emotions on a string to express. I was ready to go back to Luke's tonight and hear his story of Courtney and how she became a vampire and why she held this immense grudge over the Lockett generations to come.

So it had begun. After that, I could move on to the next step: I knew what the curse was, now I had to break it before I could return home.

A/N: Shout-out time! **SoldierDudette, brunette-in-black, MercedesRavenAngelous**, Strawberry Moons, James the wolf, fullmoon13-warewolf, Mistress Claudia, zflames4me, emogirlisdead, Shae, and several others who watch me silently! Edit: unimaginable insanity


	14. Chapter XIII

**Note:** SoldierDudette, you told me in your review: "I particularly enjoy that character of Luke. He's very layered (like an onion!)." And the first thing that crossed my mind was "Luke is a vampire, not an oger!" Haha. But I'm glad you like the main male component to this story. Everyone should, he's pretty mouthwatering (like cake). Brunette-in-black, you're too damn smart. And I love it. Give yourself a point for knowing not every vamp is as nice as they seem.  
I think **(that means maybe) **I'm going to give in and dedicate a part of the story to Luke in his pov (later on), because it's not going to work out any other way with the style I am writing. Like, if Allison gets knocked out in a very important part of the plot (because she tends to do that), Luke can go on with the story until she wakes up. I was going to try and make his dedication similar to the way Stephanie Meyer did it in Eclipse; Bella was partly conscience and heard Jacob and Edward's one-chapter-long conversation. But screw that, I'm going to break my own rules. Hell, everyone might get their own little dedication at the end of the story.

**Chapter 13 – Pawn**

I had to vent the rest of my anger before I left my apartment that morning and went into work.

The way I acted as I left Lucas' place last night was completely unacceptable. And even though there was room for buts, there was no excuse to why I handled myself in the way I did. Yes, I was angry. Luke had told me he hadn't and wasn't going to do a thing against Courtney even though he knew all the terrible things she had done. As far as I was concerned, if he admitted that, it was his fault my mother and Felicia were dead. And for those two reasons, I was allowed to be angry with him. But I had to get over it by tonight. If I acted so immaturely like that in front of him again, he should dismiss me from ever coming back; hell, I wouldn't want me to come back if I was going to overreact on everything said to me. I wanted the truth and I had gotten it; I needed to accept it and not deny the facts and move on from there. Of course, all of this was easier said than done.

I walked the longest way to work and thought over everything I needed to before I entered through those doors to the modeling agency.

Courtney was behind everything that dealt with the slaughtering of my family, and I wanted her dead for that, like Taylor. Luke wouldn't help him contain her. The only reasoning my mind could come up with for all of these points was this: Courtney had pissed Taylor off by breaking every vampire rule in the book, and Luke felt strongly for Courtney and could not destroy her, nor would he aid in others of his kind to destroy her. I didn't want that to be the answer. Why? Because even though I wanted to deny it, I felt something strong for Lucas Hawthorn. There was a small part of my mind that told me there was another reason Luke couldn't harm Courtney, because I made myself believe that he felt something for me in his deep kisses and roses and the protection he cast over me and there was no way he could love her, a monster, if he felt something for me, not a monster. My mind was troubled with these repeating thoughts over and over and I knew I would just have to wait until tonight to get the real story Luke had implied he was there to witness. And then there was the fact that Taylor would kill me if I didn't acquire something useful for him to use... There was also a _slight_ chance that Luke wouldn't be angry with me if I told him I planned on betraying his trust; and he would protect me from Taylor altogether... but that was wishful thinking. I didn't want to be used by Taylor but I didn't want to be dead even more! How did I find myself in this tight situation?

But everything would work out. One way or another, if I sided with the vampire Taylor or the vampire Luke, I would have my way. I wanted Courtney destroyed, contained; unable to ever harm another Lockett or an innocent being ever again. Taylor promised these things, but also death. Luke did not promise these things, but offered life. Maybe if there was some way they could work together, or at least for each other until the problem was solved... I shook my head since I knew I was asking for the impossible.

The rage that threatened my humanity within was escalating instead of subsiding the more I tried to sift through my thoughts.

There was still the possibility that even if I sided with Taylor, I would not die. He told me he would keep me alive as long as his intentions reached, and if Courtney wanted me and my blood, well, his intentions reached to the expansion of my life. So really, it was really _he_ who depended on _my life_! Not my life that depended on him. If he killed me, Courtney would have no purpose and he would never draw her to him to destroy her. This new factor was a turning point for me and I wondered if he already knew this. Perhaps I should stop by The Vampire Mansion right after sunset, tell him of this information of Courtney's intent, and then go straight to Luke's the get the "why" behind the "what." Even if Taylor already knew what I was going to tell him, it would prove to him I was trying to help and there was no reason for him to end my life on the spot. I could get more, I would imply when I visited, if my life was insured. After all, I thought of all of this as a game. A deadly, loaded, unfavored gambling-under-the-table game and I needed a little something up my sleeve or I was out. To lose was to die, so I needed to be extra careful as I layed my cards down, so to speak.

I took another path on the sidewalk towards the deli and picked out the biggest sandwich, my favorite fruit, the strongest tea, and the best slice of pie. Perhaps gorging myself would release some of the anger within me. I continued unto work; I was already an hour late, I think. Probably more. It didn't matter right now.

However this happened, one thing was for sure. Tonight would be the night that I would get Luke to tell me about Courtney's past. A persons past contributes greatly to what is happening in the present, and if Luke is descriptive with his tale, I'll get a weakness of hers out of him. Everyone seemed to imply Luke was _the_ Courtney V expert of this situation, and even if he played the romance game with me but then turned around and loved her, well, that would be something I had to accept as well. He was a vampire, after all. Anything I felt for him could be and _should be_ dismissed as quickly I could put a lock on my hormones and emotions.

I walked through the doors of the modeling agency and all of that time I took to calm my nerves was obliterated when my boss yelled at me for being late after skipping a day of work. I was not fired, barely, because Mr. Gay decided humiliating me in front of all my co workers was enough kicks for him for the rest of the day. I really should have just quit, telling that bastard just what I thought about his last name and how it directly described him, but I thought that was a little lame. I didn't need the money (I had tons and I hadn't even tapped my family riches yet) but it was sheer want of something to do with myself, and avoid the inevitable, that made me keep my job.

* * *

The only people who could cheer up my day while that troublesome sun was still up and my boss existed as my boss would be Lucy and Daniel. I enjoyed their company and even if I didn't care for 'what was hot in the world' or 'what cute girl winked at me at the coffee shop,' I still was enthused to partake in pointless gossip instead of file pictures and paperwork.

Around lunch time, Daniel approached me when I was sitting at my desk in an awkward position, throwing grapes from the deli into an empty cup that held hot tea earlier in the morning. Right away he sighted my pure boredom and uncaring attitude toward this day, so he grinned a little wider than usual and added a little more excitement into his voice than he should have. "Ally. I owe you _big_ time." He said spiritedly as he walked around my desk and to my side.

I didn't lose concentration from aiming grapes and projecting them into the cup. Most of them missed. "How so?" I asked indifferently.

He looked from side to side and then knelled down next to me at my desk. He whispered, the grin still huge on his face, and he sounded jubilant and his hazel eyes sparkled in pure happiness. "I had the greatest night of my life last night because of you."

I held another grape in my hand but paused before I threw it and missed the cup. I thought over all that he was implying and for the first time that day, I was not thinking of Luke and Courtney and any subjects surrounding those two figures. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Best. Sex. Ever. We cracked open the bottle of wine you gave us and the romance started before we even finished one glass." I nodded thoughtfully. The flavor I gave them was supposed to contribute to romance. "Regardless of the wine, though, I think _it_'s always better with someone you love rather than some pretty lass."

I raised my eyebrows a little bit. "You love Lucy?"

"I love Lucy." He answered with a huge smile. It was cute when he actually tapped into the emotions a man could have and expressed them freely. "I just _know,_ you know? She's special and I want to spend the night with her every night and have her make me waffles every morning like this one."

I found myself smiling and I laughed. I felt good for the both of them, genuinely warm on the inside, and I was glad I could contribute into helping their blind crush turn into the love that was meant to be. He laughed as well and ran a hand through his chocolate curls to try and straighten the mess. "We haven't seen each other all day, or you, so I thought I'd just let you know..."

"Thank you." I said sarcastically. "I _love_ hearing about my friend's love life."

He chuckled. "Yeah you do. Because you don't have your own."

That sentence hit me harder than he intended it to. Looks like the distraction didn't last long and Luke came back to the top of my mind. My smile fell as I recalled what the vampire had told me the night before. I sighed as I remembered how absurd I had made my exit, I felt even worse as I involuntarily imagined what my mother would say if she had seen me acting like that at my age. Daniel set a hand on my shoulder and apologized, gaining my attention again.

"Sorry. _Are_ you seeing someone?" he inquired, "Never mind, don't answer that. It's not my place to ask. I just wanted to say thanks." The cheerful sparkle in his eye returned. "If I propose to her and if you were a guy, I'd want you to be best mate." He managed to make me laugh again and I smiled light heartedly so he wouldn't feel the need to cheer my gloomy mood.

"Go eat lunch." I told him. He mimicked tipping an invisible hat toward me before walking away.

It wasn't long before Lucy, that darling innocent star who'd fallen from the sky, had made time to escape from her work to come and chat with me. I still hadn't left my desk and she approached the same way Daniel had walked up. Her face didn't hold a huge grin, but I could feel the warmth of her mood and see the satisfied glow over her youthful features. I tilted my head and raised my brow curiously; and her lips drew into a bashful smile and her pale skin tinted pink as she knew Daniel had already told me.

I stole an absent coworker's chair and made her a seat in front of me. "He didn't give details, did he?" she asked coyly.

I shook my head. "Only... "best sex ever," and waffles in the morning." I told her and the pink on her face burned to a redder color. "My my, Lucy... You've never been this _modest_ before." Since she always called me that... "Usually you think of sex as frivolously as a guy."

She opened her mouth to argue but then closed it and blushed further. She ran a timid hand through her hair and put a few strands behind her ear. "I only make breakfast for guys who were really good... Otherwise they leave without a bite." I contained my amusement and thought about what Daniel had told me earlier; about _loving_ Lucy. "But, I'm so confused, Ally. He's not just another guy, you know?" I seemed to know quite a bit with these two. "I don't know what last night means for us. I like Danny, he's really funny, which I like, and he knows me; he can cheer me up when I'm sad and protect me when I'm scared..." Her shy voice and blush only increased as she made a list.

"Sounds like love to me." I added quickly, hoping for the answer Daniel would want.

"Really? Maybe..."

"Definitely. He's a good guy." The English boy deserved my positive input about him. Lucy shifted in her seat and smiled.

"I suppose..."

I sighed and reached over to gently take her warmly pale hands into mine. "Look. If you're not sure, invite him over just to be together; watch a movie and order in. If there's no pressure or awkwardness about what happened last night, then you know that your relationship with him is comfortable and secure."

"And if there is awkwardness?"

"Then... you both can work through that. But I honestly doubt there will be an awkward atmosphere considering everything you just told me. And he really likes you, Lucy. And you really like him. So no worries."

I winked at her and _I_ knew _she_ knew I was giving her an honest opinion. "Thank you for the advice." she added sweetly and took her hands back. "You give such good feedback for a person who doesn't have a man of their own." I stiffened and her expression sparkled with mischievous curiosity. "_Are_ there any special people in your life that I should know about?" she asked with a wink of her oceanic eye. I withdrew my emotions and wiped my expression blank and didn't reply, but that only confirmed the answer for Lucy. Like I mentioned before, she was smart. "It's that gorgeous blond model, isn't it?" Sometimes too smart.

I disliked her intelligence, but only for a moment. "No." I lied in a quiet voice and looked at the floor. She grinned broadly about her accurate prediction.

"I knew it!" she told me.

"It's not what you think..."

She stood with a tinge of excitement in her voice. "Have you guys done-the-dirty yet? He's too gorgeous for you to say no-"

"No!" I said quickly. "What do you mean "yet?"!" My voice was a little too uncomfortable than I wanted it.

"Don't fight it, Ally. He could be exactly what you've always wanted." She put her hands on her hips and planted her foot on the ground and left no room for me to argue whatsoever.

I paused. I hated the shimmering light around her body that screamed truth. She had no idea how right she was. Lucy was something else...

The subject fell as an unsettling pause passed between us and Lucy stopped troubling me about relationships. We looked at each other for a moment before I smiled. "About yesterday, I want to talk to you. But it'll have to be later in the week, and I don't want to include Daniel. Not yet, at least. You can grasp concepts better than he can, no offense to our favorite Englishman."

She laughed but then nodded solemnly. "I understand, and I'll wait until you're ready, no rush. Later, then." she bid me goodbye with a cute little kiss on her palm and blew it my direction before skipping away. Yeah, Lucy was something else... She always talked about gossip and fashion, but she had a better understanding of the people around her than she realized, or maybe she did realize and played the role of the daft blonde; who knew? I admired her for that.

* * *

Nevertheless, my day had finally finished and my mood had risen higher than the gloom that had been cast over me in the morning.

As the sun sank lower and lower in the sky, I finished the extra paperwork my boss had dumped on me last minute and I was heading out of the door and into a cab. I recalled the street The Vampire Mansion was on, located on the opposite side of town than Luke's estate. How convenient, I thought on the quarter-of-an-hour ride there. Momentarily I wondered what Luke's issue was with Taylor and vise versa. Was there a past rivalry between the two or did they just not get along because of the lack of a common ground? This riddle kept my nerves from rocketing over into nervousness about willingly walking into the house that had death written upon its white bricks. I didn't know how the system of vampires here was run exactly, besides that they used human servants (who sometimes had gotten fed upon), but if I was _allowed_ to walk in and request Taylor Halling to the human secretary seated at her desk to the side of the main lobby, I did not know.

Everything seemed fine as the secretary nodded to me at my request. Only somewhat unexpected was her look, and she picked up the phone and pressed a button. "Yes, it is she. ... I'll send her in." But then again, what we see is only an illusion to the truth. I told Taylor this after the secretary led me down the halls into a room that looked like a small study mixed with a business office; complete with a fireplace, where the flame was dying, and a dead plant in the corner, probably wilted from lack of sunlight because of the thick black drapes over the windows which allowed no light inside. The tall vampire with dark eyes and misleading kindness sat in a black leather chair with his long legs propped up on the desk where a few books and stray issues of the city's newspapers lay. His black hair was slicked neatly against his head with a ridiculous amount of gel and the rest of him was completely tidy and in order. Usually a black trench coat cloaked him, from every time I saw him, but the coat was hung next to the desk and only a white dress shirt and neat black slacks gave him a human appearance; overall he looked like any other tricky business man who didn't get enough sun. He leaned his head back and swallowed a shot of warm liquid from a glass, I could only guess blood, then set the glass down and dismissed the secretary from the room in one fluid motion of his hand. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise instantly when the heavy door shut behind me. His friendly smile and inviting gestures signaled trouble to my instinct.

"This building is very convincing, as are you, Mr. Halling." I told him politely. I might as well appeal to whatever better side he had with witty comments and compliments. "No one would suspect a ballroom of vampires when they speak to that doll of a secretary you have working for this establishment; or when they see you, suspect you are anything less of a handsome business man and become jealous of the trophy wife they imagine you have tucked away at home." He poured more blood into the glass from a small bottle and downed that before he removed his feet from the desk and stood, again in one movement that was unnatural but not unmortal. His hands rested behind him, clasped together as he paced in perfectly measured steps that traveled around the room, stopping for a moment at the fire place, then continuing until he stood uncomfortably close in front of me in the place I still hadn't moved from.

His expression was almost cheerful; perfect in the marble skin, but not free as Luke's expression were. Taylor always had that pleasant look, even when he threatened to kill. His eyes reflected amusement for a moment, but then they darkened to the night color without any sure emotion. "You may be able to walk in and speak as you like to Lucas, my dear, but I am less forgiving than I appear." he told me calmly with a stunning smile. His tone did not match the authority he commanded. I took a step back and to the side, then lowered my head and obeyed his wishes. Again, I was the under dog here. I was in no position to be calling anything; yet.

"I have found out-" I tried to explain, but he opened his mouth to shush my syllables and my voice died in my throat. The sly but wicked manner he moved in was alarming to someone who knew what he was capable of, or knew of even _half_ of what he was capable of.

"You will speak only when called upon." he said simply again, and then took a deep breath of air very close to me, intaking the aroma my body expelled and would show him all of my conversation with Luke, and more. It made me _so_ uncomfortable, but I could deal with it. I waited for a moment as his eyes closed and he raised his chin over my hairline. I stood petrified as he worked his talent over with my scent and suddenly I worried about if what I had to "tell" him was good enough. He ran his nose side to side of me, then grinned and opened those dangerous eyes again.

He said nothing, only stared over my form with a dark glint in his eye that wasn't there a moment ago. I spoke, hoping to melt that silence and then get out. "I came here to tell you of Courtney's intentions, if you didn't already know. Now I'm going back to learn more for you, Mr. Halling. So if you'll excuse me; I'm sorry to take up your time." His head followed my body as I swiveled around him and toward the door; though I did not yet turn my back on him. That engaging smile was still resting on his lips and his face twitched to hint a more devious white mask.

"You came here knowing you'd walk out alive." He said. I nodded slowly. Oh no, please don't tell me I was wrong. "You are not wrong, but you are foolish to think that I don't have my ways to make sure we are completely "on the same page," as you would say."

"We are, I just need more time-"

His eyes widened and that dark glint exploded as I spoke. He rose over me and came closer... far too much closer! "You just need more motivation."

I didn't have time to react to his quick and agile movements. I felt a pain on my forearm at the same moment he raised his hand, it seemed, and a deep slit had been made on the inside of my arm along the vein. Then a cold pair of lips attached to the point of blood flow and a strong pair of hands secured those lips to their position. The handle of the door bruised my backside as I was thrust up against it with a fantastic strength. This violation was exhilarating and terrifying. But I didn't want it, so I did everything I could to stop him. I tore at his hair and kicked but didn't manage to scream as he stole the blood that was pulled as a life force into his being. Nothing worked, I actually only contributed since the sporadic beating of my heart within my chest only added to the amount of blood he could steal before he took too much. My vision dipped into a blurry haze, similar to looking out of a window where fog overtook the outside world. My sapphire eyes were wide and began to focus in and out of the dying flames of the fire as I lost the will to fight a useless battle and remained motionless as he finished. He removed his demon lips that took and a white cloth had been set on the wound by my own hand as he guided it so.

I sank to the floor and he followed in a kneel. I rolled my head with exhaustion, I felt so drained of energy and material, the pounding in my ears was so loud, and I glared at that white face that was _still_ beaming with the pleasant composure after he'd just committed that sort of assault to my blood.

"I can't kill you, because apparently _she_ wants this delicious blood; and my my, you feel a little something intimate for Luke that wants _him_ to take this blood, not her or I."

I was so thirsty. I couldn't even talk back with my sharp tongue. He was teasing me, like predator should the prey. I tried to jerk away when his pale hand came through my long hair but he grabbed harshly at a fistful and yanked my head back to expose my creamy neck to him. A scream of pain broke in my throat. "But you're right, as I mentioned before. You can bring me more. But after Luke tells all he can, you're going to become bait and that's all you will do with the rest of your miserable life; which isn't going to be very long. Courtney will take you and then we will take her, end of the story forever. Isn't that a lovely little happy ending? The Lockett family will never have to worry about Courtney again. They won't have to worry about in-laws either, as a matter of fact." He laughed mechanically as he implied death to the future generations I was supposed to produce. I clenched the cloth tighter on my wound and I thought every horrible thought I could toward him, hoping if somehow he would actually burst into flames as I wished I could make him. His laughter increased, louder and louder until it hurt my ears, and when I told him to die, he stopped and snapped his eyes at mine. "Don't delude yourself with the fantasy that you change the laws that the vampires have written over the centuries, Allison." My name was like poison on his lips. "As Lucas explained, we kill and always will kill. No evidence will be left for your kind to find, that's how it works. The justice you seek for mortals will never be realized." He'd said that last time, too. His hand released from my hair, and a foot found my side as he kicked me out of the way of the door he was trying to open.

"Now go, run along and be a good little victim. And remember, even _think_ about running out on this deal, I will personally come for you and make sure you never see the light of day again."

I mentioned before, I was in no place to be calling the shots. And I still wasn't in that place as I picked myself up pathetically and fled from the building into the streets. Why had I thought I had this under control? Why had I come back here? Had I honestly believed I could have held a good set of cards against the leader of vampires in this city? Luke's phrase from the night before rang in my head like a buzz to comply with the pain in my arm, _"You are many things; persistent, ambitious,_ beautiful_ but foolish isn't one of them!"_ Perhaps he had lied to me. Perhaps I was foolish, for ever wanting any part of any vampire, for walking back inside that building and making myself believe I could dominate the vampire Taylor!

I returned to my apartment, not Luke's mansion from the cab that had rescued me from that place. I needed to clean and dress this wound before I went to him.

I examined my wound when I'd gotten to my apartment bathroom; it had stopped bleeding but my pulse was still racing and the cloth given to me had dyed pure red. I tossed it aside and I looked at my own image in the mirror and took several deep breaths. My beating heart calmed as my eyes traveled along my dazed hair, my creamy skin covered in a thin layer of perspiration, and I was trembling, but as soon as I realized this I stopped. My mind thought more logically now when I wasn't running in fear and didn't have adrenaline pumping by the liter through my body. Taylor said everything he had because he plays a mind game, not a romance one as Luke does. I wasn't foolish, and he couldn't convince me that I was. I was brave for everything I'd done. I had come so far since the beginning. Only a couple weeks ago had this all begun, the day before my birthday, I had known little to nothing. Now, I had found out who was behind the curse, who had killed my mother, and I had a chance to stop her. That was not foolish at all, it was far from it and this was what I'd been working toward all along.

I looked at the wound again and saw the slight discoloring bruises of Taylor's hands around my skin. I couldn't stay in shock about what just happened, I understood this was part of my goal. This was always expected; getting damaged when I entered the world of vampires had always been a factor. How could it ever have been avoided? _Necessary violence_, my mind thought. I poured hydrogen peroxide straight unto the wound and it burned so much. I shoved a towel into my mouth and bit hard, screamed loud and it was muffled until the pain lessened.

I wrapped my entire left arm in thin gauze and changed into a long sleeve shirt to cover it, then freshened up with a touch of a perfume I had received as a birthday gift. Luke would recognize Taylor's scent in an instant otherwise.

A new problem had arisen: As soon as Luke answered every question I could think of and told me all he could, Taylor was going to capture me and the only thing I could do then was wait to die. I was still Taylor's pawn and I would continue to be until my death unless I did something about it. And yes, there was indeed something I could do about it. Something Taylor expected me not to be able to do, or something he didn't expect to work out.

_I_ wasn't even sure if what I planned would work out. Hopefully better than the _brilliant_ idea I had to walk into vampire territory alone and unarmed. That's sort of what I was going to do when I went to Luke's tonight, but he was a different vampire with a different disposition. One last glance into the mirror, I nodded to myself and concentrated my thoughts on calm things that wouldn't send me into a panic attack. I was ready to face him. Lucas, the vampire who I couldn't understand because he was so unpredictable and complicated. Luke dipped from an innocent martyr to a cunning killer, then a romantic with a conscience to a dark villain with a taste for mortal fear. And whoever said men were simple creatures?

I arrived to his property by cab and didn't waste a moment before I walked through the black iron gate and to the oak doors with the brass lion head knockers. Again, I hadn't had a chance to touch the curved handle before the door opened for me.

My eyes collided with that perfect shade of icy blue and every word and image I had screened and premeditated in my mind had been wiped blank. I blinked a couple of times and took a second to distract myself with his new look tonight. Hair was messy but not to a point of untidiness, I preferred a natural mess like that. A black tank top hugged his masculine pale form and black slacks hung on his waist and dropped informally to the floor; the contrast between white skin and black clothes made him more illusive, less human looking. But the simple gestures like a hand through his hair and a pull on his shirt to give the effect he was feeling warm, when he obviously wasn't, gave back to the human quality he seemed to effortlessly express. My smiled and I did too, and that was enough to pull me back.

"Traffic was sort of heavy from my office, but I think I made a lot better time than yesterday if I do say so myself..." My tone was light, almost frisky as I regained my train of thought and walked through the doorway. I didn't give him the chance to take my jacket when I slipped the material from my shoulders and set it on the hanger next to the door, but I don't think it phased him. He closed the door without taking his glued eyes off my body and he seemed... distracted from what I was saying. I stood still for a second and tried to decipher his expression; which was a slight frown and very focused stare. I turned slightly and he seemed puzzled.

"What fragrance are you wearing?"

I swallowed and dispelled all thoughts to why I was wearing a scent and concentrated on his question. "I forget the name... it was a birthday present I know. Lavender mixed with-"

"Jasmine and..." he cut me off and then trailed off.

"And?" I asked expectantly, almost nervously.

"Rose." he finished simply. "I like it."

I didn't know if he was right, but I nodded and muttered a thank you; flattery didn't pass well with me, remember the modesty. I turned away from him and toward the hallway that led back to the study and that amazing library, but he put a firm hand on my back and faced my body in the direction of the living room. I'd forgotten about the fresh bruise there received from Taylor (that Luke's hand had just pressed on). I winced and suppressed a pained sound; the awkward movement of my body alarmed Luke but I could only smile. "Got bumped there today, no worries." I told him. He seemed concerned and simply turned my body around and lifted the back of my shirt, like that was an okay action to proceed in, to look at the slight discoloring of a perfect circle on the left of my backside. The result of being thrust up against the knob of an office door.

"Luke!" I shouted and yanked my body around, away from his hands. He made a pained expression in response to seeing the injury and acted as if what he'd just done was something totally casual!

"Looks painful. Did you trip over yourself?" He laughed when thinking of the thought. I fumed, but was glad he found it hilarious instead of finding the truth within my mind.

"No." I answered sharply. "Could we just move on to what I'm here for and not waste any more time-"

No one interrupted me this time. I had finally looked into the elegant living room and saw what atmosphere Luke had set and simply found myself lost for words. The drapes had been changed out, from a maroon to a brighter shade of lilac on cream walls, which gave the room a fresh color. The furniture was the same mahogany as it was but everything was arranged to face the fireplace full of a rich fire that warmed the room and made brilliant shadows dance around the room. And if the fireplace light wasn't enough, candles of light colors were lined along every surface and made a pathway on the floor which led to a couch that seated two; a couch where a white tulip, a pink camellia and a red rose were all tied together with a piece of black lace rested on the cushion.

I followed the path of candles to the seat and picked the flowers up with tender fingers, then turned slowly and looked at Luke. He simply stood against the frame of the living room, watchfully, on the other side.

The trio of flowers were fresh but such simple symbols of emotions wilted eventually. Luke tied these together because they all represented something he wanted to express to me tonight. I glanced from the soft petals to his hopeful face, his wonderful form leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, waiting. I untied the lace the took the rose gently into one hand, since it was the only flower I knew the meaning of. "Passion. Or love." I chose the words carefully, because he'd chosen the flowers carefully.

He nodded and I tossed the rose at my feet, then held up the white tulip. "Forgiveness." he said to me before I could ask. "Or the need of." I understood that one; he wanted mine so that we could continue tonight without a repetition of how last night ended; disaster.

"Which you have from me, for now." I told him honestly and tossed that one to the ground as well. The final pink camellia I held up now with three fingers; I twirled its beautiful structure around as it waited to be explained.

"Graciousness." he told me. And now, as I looked to him, I was honestly confused.

"I don't see how me giving you grace relates to anyth-" I started slowly, but he shook his head and grinned darkly.

"It's not me receiving, sweet. It's you. You need graciousness." His tone was righteous, and I still didn't understand. His build lifted off of the doorway and he took a slow step toward me.

"Why would I-?"

The helpless flower fell from my hand as Luke disappeared from my sight, but came at me with an impossible speed and lifted me from the warmth of the living room to the top of the stairs just above it. Luke cradled my body just over the edge of the tallest stair, showing mercy by still holding on. If he let go... Well, how many people survived a rough journey down a flight of stairs without a hospital visit, at least? I gasped softly and resisted to look down and my hands found the thin black material of the shirt against his chest. He leaned over even more and I gripped tighter; I _really_ didn't want to fall just in case he did let go.

"I should let you drop to the bottom stair,"

My breath hitched, I stopped breathing while waiting for him to continue. "Please don't." I whispered softly.

"But I'm giving you graciousness. Understand now?"

I nodded and he pulled my body up to balance with the floor, and leaned me gently against the wall at the top of the stairs. "Now explain." His hands were more careful now with the injury on my backside and he didn't have to be that way. Not when he knew now, about Taylor. I knew it, dammit all, I knew he knew! I didn't try to hold back any of my thoughts and images in my head about the past couple days. Why I was late yesterday, why I covered up Taylor's scent with a perfume, why I had a terrible bruise on my backside ("bumped into someone"? Who would fall for that? Not Luke). I let him see everything; Taylor and Julia in Thomas's office, what I was awake for with my kidnapping, the maids who were victims, myself transformed into a pale woman for a vampire ball, the rude vampire who was serving drinks, Julia as a gorgeous demon, Taylor's offer, my worry, then my stunt tonight that landed me injured and then led to my freshening up and coming here.

Luke's eyes were wide and he was both enraged and amazed with what he saw. His face was hardened into a frown as his eyes traveled down to my left arm and he carelessly ripped the sleeve off to expose the white gauze that had already been bled through.

He peeled off the gauze and examined the wound and bruising in the pattern of hands smaller than Luke's... "My powers have developed for over four hundred years, that ignorant fiend. He should know a _simple mortal_ couldn't fool me by thinking of a few random thoughts. You were practically screaming the vampire ball when you stormed away last night! What is he playing at?"

That comment hurt, but so did physical pain, so I was quiet and let my dissolving sapphire eyes express what I was feeling instead. Luke paused his building anger, his obvious discomfort and frustration, to swoon over the drop or two of blood that had risen from the healing wound. I gasped when thinking of Taylor again, the horrific equivalent of rape he had performed but to the blood instead of body. Luke saw this image as I thought it and jerked his body away from mine and turned his eyes away from my wound.

He continued. "And you, the one I cared to explain to about how foolish you were not, you go out and walk right up to his estate?" Again, I was quiet. His tone was disbelief, angry, escalated. He paced unpredictably and looked from me to the ground. "This isn't your territory, Allison. You can't just walk on whatever grounds you want here. You're not at home." Sharp words, cut me like a double-edge blade on the inside. "Taylor is dangerous; you remember him from the first night you saw him," Yes, in the alleyway examining Felicia's dead body. "He wanted you dead from the beginning! Why would that have changed; because I took an interest into you? No, you stupid girl, I've been protecting you from him this entire time, why would that change as well? Why didn't you tell me he approached you? I could have taken care of everything and _that_ would have never happened!" He pointed at my arm.

I could have been on the verge of tears. But I kept thinking too much to let emotion sweep over my physical body. "If you knew Taylor had approached me, why didn't you bring it up last night?" I asked weakly, still stabbed, metaphorically, against the wall. His atmosphere lightened drastically as he heard my tone, how harsh he'd been and how hurt I was. He came closer and took my hand fondly into his.

"There _are_ such qualities as trust, loyalty, and alliance where we come from." I swallowed hard, the only thing that had kept me from telling him about Taylor's offer was... fear, and my own selfish pride. Pride that swelled in my way to admit what I needed to the right people. For example, Lucy and Daniel and telling them my true identity; I'd been lying to them for years. "If I've ever given you a reason to doubt I wasn't going to protect you, or I would willingly let harm come to you..."

No, you hadn't. You never had, I thought while shaking my head. "I need clarity. Now. That's all." I said. He leaned down and kissed my knuckles tenderly, his eyes avoided my wound definitely.

"On everything or some things?" he breathed.

"Everything. You haven't given me a real reason to doubt you but I still did and I still do. Please." I was pleading. I didn't even really know what I was pleading for. Stories, explanations, reasons, formulas. Everything. I doubted his feelings for me, even now as his lips touched my skin. I doubted his alliance with me over Courtney. I doubted he'd help me destroy her.

""Everything" may take more than one night."

"That's fine. I'll wait here during the day until night. I could occupy myself for a century in your library... I'll quit my job too; I've actually been meaning too lately..."

"Slow down." He said. I nodded. Quit my job? Had I just said I wanted to do that? Well yes, now that I thought about it. I hated my boss and the superficial scene, though I did enjoy the hobby of picture taking. Royal Courts were more my thing though... He finished kissing my hand and raised his head with a silly chuckle. "Lavender Jasmine and Rose? What sort of scent is that?" He referred to the fragrance he'd described earlier. "I smelled Lavender Jasmine and _Halling_. Besides the last one, you smell divine." He told me with a devilish grin.

It made me laugh, and he seemed enthralled when I did so. Eagerly, almost, he led me back down the stairs and back in the midst of the warm living room full of what any other person would describe as romance. There was a thick animal skin carpet in front of the fire place, possibly a bear skin, but he sat me down on that and joined me at my side, half facing the fire place, half facing the terrace through the window to the back.

"Clarity. Where do I start?"

**A/N:** Apologies to cut it off from there! I had to stop somewhere, because this chapter was borderline 8,000 words, which is double from the average length of earlier chapters and 2,000 more than the chapter before it. I don't want to dump an acne co. steel weight on your head after handing you a paperclip, honestly. The next chapter is literally coming right after this one, so don't worry.


	15. Chapter XIV Part I

**Note:** The real reason I had to end the last chapter was because of how long this one was going to be. (You all asked for it!) Just read the title, and without looking at how tiny the scroll bar is, you already know this is going to be ridiculously long and drawn out but if you happen to be curious about Taylor, Courtney and Lucas, then you _might _make it through this chapter. I'll add in some juicy parts to make it worth your while. (It's 11,000 words, 13 pages on Word typing in Times size 12)

(Earlier note) I just watched the movie "Gray Matters" (Excellent and funny film) so I'm feeling pretty lesbian. Brunette, Soldier, and Insanity, my old faithfuls. You will **all** be getting sexual favors from me for your gracious reviews. (Sorry James, I'm gay. Recall 'truth or dare' a few months ago). Insanity, you'll have a wait three or four nights because I'll be tied to B's and S' bed for awhile. Hopefully during that time I'll be getting some _inspiration_ for the chapters to come you all have been waiting for between Luke and Allison. How do you readers feel about a little sadistic woman on woman? Because you'll mouth water after Courtney kidnaps Allison later on.  
Opps. I've said too much.

* * *

**Chapter 14 – The story of Courtney and how she became Vengeance, the vampire Taylor, and the vampire Lucas.  
****Part One.**

"Clarity. Where do I start?"

There were so many things, endless amounts of wonders that I knew would take more than one night for him to express in words, but I wanted Courtney first. I'd been waiting for her story, after all. "What you know of Courtney Vengeance." Why you won't help Taylor destroy her, what you feel for her. But I kept those thoughts quiet in my head.

The fire was warm, so comforting. And we sat in the midst of candlelight on that bear skin, lounging on the floor like any couple would. He spread his body out to lay down, still holding his torso up with one arm and curved himself slightly around my sitting position of crossed legs. So simple, so fond it felt against the heat of the fire. I wondered if he liked it's radiating warmth, but I wondered many things. He nodded his head and his blond hair almost sparkled in that orange dance of flames, his eyes looked at the ground as he decided where to begin.

"I mentioned before, Courtney wasn't always a monstrous being. She was mutated from a kind vanity during her mortal life, some three hundred years ago."

I shifted my body to sit more comfortably; reclined back and set my weight on the palms of my hands. He seemed distracted for a moment as my chest shifted with the rest of my body, my hair fell over my shoulder and reached the fur of the animal, and then I cleared my throat and he looked back up at my face again with a guilty smile.

"This tale might have to be spaced out, and I'll answer off topic answers in between those spaces, so have some ready." I nodded. "Some of the tale I will tell you, but more of it I want to show you, the way I saw it, so you understand completely what was going through my head. And as you recall, you get a little dizzy every time I force images on you, and I don't want to make you fall unconscious."

Yeah, blacking out in the den of a vampire would _definitely_ end well. "So, the story of Courtney and how she became Courtney Vengeance." I said for an introduction, and he began.

"You know a unconscionable version if this story, the tale of your '_Hero_ Stephan IV and the vampire Courtney.'" He almost scowled the word "hero" when describing my ancestor.

I tried to argue with his tone. "My ancestor Stephan was a brave-"

Luke cut me off, mockery in his voice. "Your ancestor 'Stephan Lockett IV' was one of the most vile humans I'd observed in all of my near five-hundred years of immortality, save King Henry and how his wives ended up." The vampire stood from his place on the fur and I only glared.

There was no sure emotion on my face as I watched him pace away, walking around the path of candles to pick up the abandoned rose and twirl it thoughtfully between his pale fingers. "Please continue." I had wanted answers and the chance was now. He walked around where I sat.

"As you are aware, Stephan was the first man with the last name "Lockett" to take a position of monarchy over your homeland. The King before him had taken a liking to Stephan and his family of noble blood and had no children to take the throne after he passed away. So Stephan was educated and was to be crowned the new King after that mans death, and Stephan had a very specific requirement before he could take that position."

I tapped my fingers on my thigh, Luke was telling me what I already knew. "Yes, he wanted to marry before he would become King."

Luke pointed at me with a smile. "Correct. But I'll implore you not to interrupt me again. If you wish to hear the entire story, you'll keep your mouth closed while I explain unless I ask you a question that is not rhetorical."

Defeated, I was offended with the command but complied anyway. I tilted my head and let him go on.

"Stephan didn't just want to marry, he needed to. The tradition of the throne was to take a wife if one was not already bonded with the heir in holy matrimony." His pacing continued and he folded his hands and the red rose behind his back. Masculine arms flexed in a tight shirt holding a delicate flower, what a treat to gaze upon while my ears did their job of listening. "His requirement was really quite simple. He was going to marry _the_ most beautiful woman in all the land, no matter her status; give her anything she desired in exchange for a single male heir in the Lockett name.

"This requirement was possible. And the man, because he was still a man at this point, went to every town and village in the small country, interviewed every woman of age and finally he found the one he was looking for. A woman with radiance to challenge a goddess, who had soft and curly honeysuckle hair and the deepest blue eyes the world had ever seen."

"Courtney." I whispered with utter realization toward the fireplace. The flames jabbed to the right as I voiced her name. When looking up to Luke, he had vanished.

"Did I not ask you for no interruptions?" His smooth voice came from my left; I jumped and realized he was now behind me stretched to the length of the fur again. The question must had been rhetorical or I was just too stunned to answer, because he continued with the same amused expression. "The woman's name was Courtney, yes. And she was as human as you are and I was."

I was more silent the more he held my interest. Looks like the story books of my country liked to favor their own, if Luke was telling me correctly. Slowly I turned my body toward his face, feeling quite unnerved by not being able to see what he was doing; simply twirling the rose in his hand.

"All of the stories making Stephan look heroic, about him fending off his betrothed because she was a murderous beast, are completely preposterous. Courtney, when human, was one of the most fair souls on the earth. She treated people as they treated her, no less. She was kind and forgiving, generous when she could be; but her one and only flaw was within, vanity. She needed a mirror to gaze upon herself and she needed onlookers to always tell her she was beautiful, and she was." he paused, fingers touching the petals of the rose. His icy eyes traveled from the flower to my own eyes, and instantly I saw the image he planted in my mind: _Courtney, her skin warm and pulsing with the blood of when she was mortal, brushing her long hair in the large mirror of a vanity. She smiled at herself and her young face radiated pure joy; she glanced at the engagement ring on her finger, the symbol of herself becoming a queen only a few days ahead. But then she was distracted by her own body, fitting perfectly in the brilliant dress of white satin and lace, bought for her by Stephan before she was to marry him. She sighed dreamily and cupped her chin into her hands and leaned over into the mirror, her soft curls fell over her shoulder as beautifully as water falls and her perfect pink lips curved upward. So young, so happy..._ What had happened to that lovely girl from before? The image faded and I held my head; the hallucination was short so I wasn't dizzy, just induced. "Of course, after marrying him and going from poor daughter of a farmer to a queen and having _almost_ everything she desired, she bore Stephan a child most happily. The child was a baby was a girl, incapable of carrying a name. With Courtney being so young, sixteen, Stephan was not worried about a male heir. At least, not at first." I saw just blurry images in between Luke's words. _Courtney's face contorted in pain as she gave birth, the grave look on Stephan's face when the baby was a girl but Courtney, still immanetly beautiful although she was exhausted and drenched in sweat, reassured him they would try again. He seemed satisfied enough._

I tucked a few strands of my hair behind my ear and motioned for Luke to go on. I wanted to find out, I did. He was a good story-teller and he knew it.

"The one problem that changed everything for the Lockett family was this. Courtney was unable to produce a second child. No one was sure why, not even Courtney herself, but this deeply troubled Stephan, eventually to the point of madness. After this news had reached him, he had the decree passed that, like blood, the Lockett name would not be lost when his daughter married; as her daughter, and her daughter's daughter, and so on."

Luke paused and reached over to pull a stray piece of lint off of my jeans. He flicked the piece some random direction and then looked up at me looking at him. "Would you like to go out with me tonight, for a drink maybe?" he asked suddenly, icy eyes sparkling. Such a human phrase to ask a woman. I was completely thrown and caught off-guard. Why was he asking me this now of all times?

"Well, yes, but-"

"Excellent." he said with a flashy smile as he jumped up. "I want to take you to a place you can't go to without me, unless you want to be on the menu for the night."

I was going to argue with him to sit down and continue the tale, but he'd said something that interested me greatly. Guess it was time for a break in the story as he mentioned earlier. I could use a drink, I thought. Strong scotch and a side of water, something like that because I was still unbearably thirsty. Besides, this gave me opportunity to ask other things about other subjects. He offered a hand to me so I could stand, I automatically grabbed it and he yanked me unto my feet and into his body, his other arm secured me into him. Why did I know this was coming and yet, I took his hand anyway?

"I was telling the truth earlier, you know." he whispered in my ear.

"About?" I asked calmly, my hands touching his shoulders tenderly. I couldn't do much until he released me... not that we were in a hurry. He was mesmerizing and I wasn't going to deny that.

"You smell rather divine. It's actually making it difficult for me..." his breath touched my neck now.

A slight alarm passed through me as he admitted this; he took in my gasp and sudden stiffness of my body and moved his head from the crook of my neck. "You don't need to worry." His voice was low, sexual over dangerous, but only in hints. I wouldn't calm, I gripped his shoulders and he lowered his head to touch noses and then kiss me. Soft, gentle. Just a simple kiss. My hardened form melted, the threat vanished. His cold, thin lips did hold meaning. Something on them made it difficult for me not to linger. He released me and turned his body the way mine was and offered his arm to me.

"Shall we?" he asked with a whimsical smile.

"One thing first." I objected. He frowned as he wondered 'what?' and I held my limbs out to show him my sleeves. I wasn't going out with one of my sleeves ripped off! I had a little more class than to wear destroyed clothing in public, but that might have been the royal blood worrying about style talking. "I need a new shirt, thanks to you."

He grinned and pulled on my arm. "No you don't." he said simply and ripped the other sleeve to look exactly like the first. I was flabbergasted. "There. Now wear your jacket over it if you aren't satisfied and let's go."

So demanding. He left no opportunity for me to argue even if I wanted to. I was pulled from the mansion and he grabbed my jacket for me on the way out. Apparently he didn't want to snuff the candles or lock his door, for that matter... I didn't question it and simply let Luke lead me where he willed; into a cab and across town. The deep, dark and dangerous part of the city a rather defenseless pretty thing like me shouldn't walk by myself, even during the day. In the deep alleys where all of the underground illegal events happened, and everyone knew happened, but the authorities turned a blind eye too for the sake of good business instead of justice.

--

Luke stepped right at my side, his arm resting comfortably but securely around my hip. I could feel his threatening and protective character even though my eyes didn't lay upon him, he never let me step before him after we'd exited the cab and walked a few blocks into this more sinister part of town. Absolutely no morals resided in the people that resided here. My eyes saw a drug exchange, very subtle and when the customer looked toward me, I looked away and minded my own business like others in this place were supposed too. Down one alley the orgasmic cries of a woman came; a prostitute thinking the darkness was enough to hide her and her client. A shady man, maybe, was smoking a cigarette with his body leaned against a brick building; he looked up at me staring and blew smoke my direction while imitating the puckering of his chapped lips. Near the end of this little safari I found myself closer to Luke than I'd started. He didn't seem to mind one bit when I bumped into him from the close proximity of our bodies stepping in tune. Could you blame me for being a tiny bit scared? If Luke wasn't at my side right now I was sure to be mugged and raped and killed; nothing funny about it.

Finally we reached a building that looked rather abandoned on the outside, but when walking inside, we came down a hallway to a door where a thick dark skinned man stood perfectly still; burly security for the entrance. A stingy look was chiseled into his face and his ebony skin glistened under the neon lights above the door that delivered us from the darkness here. He looked at Luke and I and then nodded. His movements to open the door were too measured, too quick. He must have been immortal as well; who better to guard an immortal club as Luke had implied? Luke and he did not exchange words as we walked passed him into what looked like any other back-alley club and bar hidden within the dumpy walls.

Drunks slouched over the bar table with the animated bar tender, the hustlers played pool in a corner, the smokers gave the room a dismal atmosphere, the garage band with a lucky gig was up on the tiny stage, the dancers and the supporters of the music took up what space others didn't; in a room to the side with a beaded entrance there were the illegal gamblers (vip pass only). At a quick glance it looked like any other club Lucy had dragged me into a little closer to main street. Upstairs was a different setting; it was designed like a loft, going around the perimeter and allowed me to gaze down at the ground floor over a railing. It held tables and waiters ready to serve avid consumers, both of blood and food. Luke led me upstairs after ordering the scotch I wanted from the bar, never removing his arm from me, and when I was above the others in this place I took a closer look at what was going on below.

On one side of the room, a fresh looking girl in a tiny skirt was leaned against a pillar with a man attached to her neck. A pale man with half a shirt and black pants held up by an assortment of belts, was pretty interested with that youth's neck. She seemed in pure ecstasy as she rolled her head and he shifted his lips to the other side; blood dripped lively from the fang marks. "Don't stare." Luke whispered in a low tone in my ear. I moved my eyes elsewhere; the pool players in the corner, one of them was pale skinned and he was getting his money's worth, by the looks of it. Mid-twenties-looking and thin, too thin if I was ever asked; a bandanna tied on his head and biker clothes covering the rest. I moved my eyes again as Luke pressed on my hip. The bar tender, she was pale skinned and attractive. She loved her work, or at least the benefits as she leaned over the counter with a wide smile and poured a drink for a young girl who looked too young for a place like this. Looks like drunk and easy applied to vampires too. On the dance floor was a pale skinned couple, dancing slowly in each others embrace. I thought it was rather romantic, but then the male brought the female's arm smoothly closer to his mouth and he bit into her wrist greedily; she was supported by him as her head fell back and she smiled, fangs and all. Less romantic, more animalistic. I looked away.

Finally, Luke pulled me away from making observations from the second story and he motioned for me to take a seat at one of the tables against the railing. I slid passively into my chair and he sat across from me. His expression was still stone, glazed over with harmful intentions if what he was protecting was disturbed in any way. I reached over and gently touched his hand that held my glass of scotch, his features softened a tiny bit and he handed the drink to me. I smiled at him and he smiled a tiny bit too; after I took the glass, the liquor was gone in an instant. He raised a brow as I slammed the glass down and took a slow breath. Luke's mood softened even more as I did this and raised his arm to signal one of the many waiters up here.

A young man brought Luke a glass of red liquid almost immediately, Luke tipped him well and said "Keep them coming, the scotch too."

I watched with vivid interest as he downed the entire drink in the same way I had and he slammed the glass down, with less strength than I used because he would have smashed that glass to pieces. I was less disgusted than I was before when I watched him drink blood in front of me at my birthday party, more captivated now over than anything else, but my mind flickered to a memory of Taylor and the way he drank blood like that, always from a glass. Luke saw the thought and wrinkled his face in disgust. "What he drinks is not the same as the blood here, this sweet mixture of alcohol in the bloodstream. He's the equivalent of the rich man who drinks the fancy imported tea compared to the alcoholic taking whatever beer is in the fridge. Taylor Halling only drinks imported bottled blood from Italy; usually." He added the last part because of what happened earlier to me tonight and I looked as if I didn't believe him. A distraught expression troubled him now. "I really wish you had told me," his eyes glistened with a bit of remorse, and it was beautiful and heartbreaking to see. He took my arm gently and looked over the slit again. He was still uneasy about that. "You understand that I'm not letting you ever go back there to him. Not just for personal reasons, but for your safety as well."

Now he was making decisions for me? Only fair, since I did betray him. But in a sense he betrayed me too, so now, I suppose, we were even. Which was probably why he wasn't angry still. And that little hint of something in his tone, was it jealousy perhaps? "Understood." I told him as the waiter returned with two new glasses, one of blood and one of liquor.

"What is this place?" I asked after the young man left us again. I glanced around the second floor; only one other couple and a lone man sat up here amongst the waiters.

Luke lifted his glass and sipped a little more gracefully than before. "Vampire's night club. Last one in the city." I glanced down. That poor young girl at the bar earlier was being led outside by the pretty pale bartender as she went off her shift and a new pale male took over her job. I shuddered when thinking who would miss that young fawn tomorrow. "Taylor Halling likes to keep a tightly knit community, very hush hush. He had all other bars that served vampires shut down except for this one so he can keep a close eye on it. Only donors are allowed inside here if they are not immortal. Any mortal who even thinks about bringing authorities here is...taken care of immediately."

I gulped. "Donors?" People willingly gave blood to vampires? Well, I guess if you didn't want to become the one they drained and buried in a hole somewhere... I still sank at the thought of every human in here knowing well what their pale skinned acquaintances were and still kept drinking and playing cards like it was absolutely natural. "So Taylor Halling," I started, and turned my head back to Luke. It was much easier just to keep my eyes upon him, less repulsive than the havoc below. "What sort of authority does he hold, exactly? And he didn't seem to like you at all but you know quite a bit of him. What's that about?"

Luke finished his drink before setting it down and straightening himself so he could put his elbows on the table. He lowered his head and laughed for a moment, then raised it and returned my gaze. "Taylor Halling is... noteworthy." I stared oddly at him because he answered nothing I asked. He glanced behind me and motioned for me to look as well. "Be subtle." he whispered. I did my best and pretended to stretch in order to look over my shoulder at what Luke seemed to be looking at. There was the lone man again, just sitting. "He's one of Taylor's. A little fly. He'll record everything we say here and report straight to Halling. And now that you've agreed not to aid him any longer, there is no way you can go back to him unless you want to die." Luke seemed pleased there was no way I was going to return to that fiend of a vampire.

Yep, he was jealous. "I wasn't planning on it after what he did earlier, but okay. You still haven't answered my questions, and you're postponing a whole other tale, remember?" I took a sip of scotch and wanted him to get on with it!

"Alright. Taylor is, using medieval terms for similes, like a Lord under a King in the modern age. Can't give you all of the details, but vampires have a leader group known as The Grand Council. It's just a group of old vampires who basically just cover up messes and make new laws according to the standards of the era. Taylor was put in charge of this territory, which includes this large city and the little cities surrounding, by The Grand Council. His job is the same: clean up the mess made by the vampires who reside here, keep the secret safe from those who will do harm against us, and punish the ones who break the law. We have more laws; never leave evidence of a vampire on the kill, never reveal yourself or your secrets, etc." I smiled when thinking of Luke breaking one of those mentioned laws right now and some old white-skinned man yelling at him for it. "Taylor is young, not even two centuries yet, but he was put in charge of such a large area because of his knowledge, talents, and intelligence. He was changed during the American Civil War from the confederate side, so he's supposed to be a master of strategies and tactics and he knows the value of sacrifice; kill one, save a thousand. In his case with you, it'd be kill one, save himself the trouble of hunting Courtney like he has been for one-hundred-and-thirty years now." Luke finished.

I swallowed a long drink of scotch and took the moment of silence to simply... stare, admire, gawk. Choose a word, I was doing so with him. His bone structure, long and dense, possibly German? He had a bit of a square chin, his cheek bones rose high and it looked irresistible when he pushed those muscles into a smirk or smile. He finally noticed I was staring and licked those blood-touched lips, which captivated my attention further. His eyes connected with mine, and they were just as stunning as the rest of him.

Not that I'd seen the rest of him, or planned on seeing the rest of him... I blushed as I began to deny myself.

"Like what you see?" he teased. His back arched, chest protruded and his body straightened to a very masculine image.

"On the contrary, yes." I answered as my chin rested on my hand. "I'm wondering where you are from. Blond hair and blue eyes is European, anywhere from Norway to Germany. And you have an accent; it's weak, dying with invasion of a lazy American tongue, but still there." I explained thoughtfully. He nodded toward me and gestured to continue.

"Take a guess. Correct or incorrect, I'll explain."

"...Norwegian."

He shook his head and a very thick and burly accent overcame his speech. "Du bist falsch." I almost groaned when recognizing the unmistakable old German. "Try northern Germany, but I lived in England for most of my older years of childhood and into adulthood, after my mother convinced my father to move due to the vast amount of jobs in Great Britain at the time." he added in English again, less accent, still smiling.

I made a face. "German is such as ugly language." I said. He seem offended, but not really.

"I agree, to some extent. The entire country has many dialects, it's difficult to learn and be articulate with the language if you ever lived in different parts of Germany, but my grandmother on my father's side forced me to learn German as well as I learned English. My mother was a petite blonde from England and my father was a dark-haired, blue-eyed German, and she gave me an English name "Lucas" even though I descended from strong German roots. I recall my father getting angry about that and trying to change my name to Adolphus several times through my childhood, but Luke stuck."

I listened avidly, I enjoyed hearing about his mortal life as well as his vampire one and he seemed to enjoy telling me. "I like Lucas a lot better than Adolphus, but that might be because I have a soft spot for English names. William, Edward, Garrett... Elizabeth, Katherine, Amanda..."

"Garrett?" he looked as if he were going to laugh, but he did not.

My glare was full of warning. "Better than Adolphus." I shot back.

He nodded in agreement and chuckled. "I never said I didn't like it. Different, but still strong, for a boy. I do like it."

I shook my head at him. We weren't here to discuss baby names. "So you're a "German mutt" vampire, here in America." The mood was so light, the conversation thrift, so natural feeling. It was almost like a...date.

"I wouldn't put it in those words..." Luke started as I smiled at him. "I blended in with several European and Asia-Minor cultures over the years and I know several languages... " He glanced down at a trio of vampires in a corner of the first floor. "But mortal heritage has no place after becoming a vampire. It matters from who you descended from and if the blood they give you is strong, pure and not shared with other recent fledglings. Those three in the corner are all fresh and from weak decent." he sounded like he pitied them. "Won't last long." He added.

I finished my second round as I thought about the threat Taylor made earlier, the one concerning my life. If he got a hold of me after this night, _I_ might not last long...

The waiter came around and gave Luke his third round. "You still didn't answer my other question." I said as he set the blood to his lips. I think we were having a silent drinking contest with the competitive look in his eye as he drank. "I asked why Taylor dislikes you so much, and also, why is he hunting Courtney down anyway; shouldn't that be the job of an older and stronger vampire?"

Luke waited a moment before responding. "No other vampire is really qualified for the job as much as he is." he said. The pause he took was long and uncomfortable. I taped my fingers on the table to the tempo of the song the garage band was creating and I actually began paying attention too. Finally he made a movement, he leaned closer to me and I leaned in also to hear the whisper of his voice. "Would you like to hear Taylor's story? There's a reason we have a relationship less than pleasant and there's a reason he hates Courtney with a fiery passion."

I bit my bottom lip and thought about that for a moment. "As long as you continue Courtney's story after."

He motioned to my glass of scotch. "Finish that. The more alcohol you have in your system, the easier you can see images from me."

I raised and brow and obeyed without much protest. "I can only guess you know that from personal experience." He pretended not to hear me and glanced at the lone man again. He let out a low growl, too low for me to hear but I felt it from him, and then he resumed his nonchalant story telling. I glanced behind me, the lone man was gone.

"So I told you he was from the Civil War, a soldier on the confederate side. His family worked in law in Mississippi, but he chose a more hands-on path of life and decided to serve his southern states with the secession. He was young and naive; intelligent and had many talents, he just didn't use them for the right situations. I don't recall the name of a vampire who changed him, but it was a spur of the moment type changing when Taylor was injured on the front lines." And my history lesson began. _A flash of light came from behind a trench dug into the red earth, the boom of the canon came next and made a man jump. It was Taylor, a live, heart-pounding mortal Taylor laying on his back in the trench with his solider helmet tilted and face covered in grime, a scratch here, a knick from the shaving razor there. The dirt and raw work of the soldier was a drastic look on him compared to the classy business man he was now. Drummers were in the background of all the shouting and the crying and the gun fire, they all made a symphony of chaos and lit up the starry night sky with fire and smoke. The man who looked like Taylor trembled and looked slowly down at his chest. The Enfield rifle musket once in his grasp was forgotten as he reached for his chest and pulled on the gray material of his uniform; blood was staining everything from a wound in the right side of his chest. He looked back up with those terrified black eyes and glanced over the scene in front of him; fallen friends, fallen enemies; he saw the truth and irony of the situation, that all of these men were his countrymen and brothers. Death looked upon him, and he stared back at it, accepting that he'd fought hard but wishing he could have said goodbye to his mother before he... His chest strained against the pain and every other sound had ceased. An angel, he thought it was, descended upon him, cradled him with their white hands and placed an eternal kiss on his neck... _I took even breaths to steady my vision. "The vampire is long gone by now, and Taylor didn't exactly miss him when he was killed by a group of nomad vampires. That vampire taught Taylor everything he needed to know about vampirism, also how to fool mortals, how to manipulate them into whatever he so chose for them to do; several horrible things and few good. Taylor was obligated to absorb the knowledge but after awhile he became repulsed by his shire and stuck to drinking imported blood when he was in a wealthy and high-classed position. After phasing from his soldier days of a mortal, he liked the investigator scene and his power of "envisioning by scent" developed from there.

"Taylor was only about twenty years into immortality when he came to Europe, your homeland to be exact, on a hot tip that there was a huge mass-murder mystery to be solved with the Lockett family. He was confident he would be able to find the murderer and bring the family to justice for a _generous_ fee from the family." I was shocked. Taylor was interested in solving my family's curse at one point in time? And my family riches, but that was expected by any greedy or hopeful detective who'd come to the Lockett doorstep over the centuries. "Taylor was still very young and naive at this point; his powers were barely developed. After only a month of pursuing the case, he found how hopeless it was. He interviewed dozens and dozens of people and hit a dead end every time, he thought perhaps if he waited for another murder to occur, the murder of the current king because he had a child, Taylor would be able to catch the demon who was responsible. He didn't believe an invisible curse existed, he believed there was indeed a person behind the physical crimes who had a pattern to their killing and he thought everyone who was convinced there was some evil force behind murder was completely idiotic. One of the people who shared his belief at the time was the wife of the Lockett King, she did not hold the Lockett blood and was not fearful for her husband's death even though their child was going on eight years. Taylor took a liking to her after meeting her." His cold fingers touched my wrist and I made a tiny noise at the images flowed into my brain.

_Taylor, tall and pale and dressed in a nice suit with classy shoes, a big change since his mortal life. He was concentrating very hard while pacing back and forth in front of a large tapestry I recognized in one of the familiar corridors at the palace. He held his pale hands comfortably behind him and his coal colored eyes were hazy as he did this in total hypnotism. His concentration was suddenly broken and a rather hopeful sparkle filled his dark eyes as the voice of a woman echoed throughout the corridor. His head lifted and he seemed lost for words when she walked around the corner and stopped, almost startled to see him standing there by his lonesome. "Oh! Mr. Halling... I didn't know you were still awake. Do you need any thing that my servants might accommodate you with?" she asked him politely. She was grateful he was there, trying very hard to solve the family mystery. _

_He, on the other hand, was completely taken in by her. Beautiful orange hair rolled across her backside out of the pins that held the curls in a strange hairstyle, her pink and white dress presented her sun and cream colored skin in a much more becoming fashion than any other richer color. The Queen, the lovely Queen who had a husband and a strapping young boy, asking him if he needed anything. He, of course, had just woken up as she was on her way to turn in. "No, your majesty. I was just in thought about the case. Very tragic, indeed. I'm sorry for your hardship, I hope you and your husband and your son are all well within these dark times."_

_"Everything will turn out the way it is supposed too. I thank you for your services. I and the rest of my family hope that you find a lead with your case soon." She replied with a smile. Her hand touched the stone wall of the corridor; she seemed suddenly dazed and looked as if she were going to fall. He came forward with genuine concern, but she lifted her other hand to stop him from coming a step closer. "I'm fine, Inspector. Just exhausted from the days events. My apologies, I must cut our conversation short and bid you goodnight." She picked up her dress and shuffled off quickly to her own chamber. He reluctantly watched her go, staring with an emotion I'd never thought capable of Taylor Halling._

The vision ended, I sat my head in my hands and Luke waited a moment. "He...loved her? The taken queen, Taylor fell for the _Queen_ of all women?" I asked Luke with disbelief in my tone. He nodded.

"He was madly in love with her. He wanted her but he knew he could not have her, so he was pained and distracted from the case. It came to his mind more than once during those days to abandon the investigation so he would not be tempted to do something he would regret, like give her kingdom a reason to prosecute her with disloyalty to her husband. It's a pity he didn't quit, because after some time passed and his feelings for Mrs. Rebecca Lockett did not wither as he hoped they would, it was Courtney who approached him with a resolution to his hopeless situation.

"Courtney, who had become a vampire by now and had been killing the Lockett males for decades, heard a new investigator with an impressive transcript had come to put a stop to her vengeance, and when she found out he was a vampire as well, she was enthralled and she decided that could trick him while getting him off her back. He didn't know it was she he was looking for, and Taylor, like every man before him, was misguided by her beauty and blinded to the murderer within. She was able to beguile him into her sadistic plans and when she proposed that she take care of the King so Taylor could have the Queen, he was too overcome with desire to see how terrible that motion was, and that Courtney was the guilty one he was looking for. The plan was designed so Taylor could never be traced; he abandoned the investigation and left the country a week before Courtney would strike and waited for her to bring Rebecca to him. The Queen was heartbroken when she heard Halling had given up, even more so when her husband turned up dead from a "hunting accident" a few days later." A short vision, _Rebecca sat in a daze with a handkerchief against her eyes while wearing a black dress. The black didn't seem to wear as well as the brighter colors before, but she was in mourning and her tears stained the cloth as her sadness dampened her will to live._

"The night after the King's death, Courtney had turned the Queen into a vampire, faked her death in a suicide hanging so no one would come looking for Rebecca once she disappeared, then kidnapped the body for Taylor. Rebecca's personal will was not strong from the recent tragic events, and the blood Courtney gave her was not very strong to begin with. However Courtney had handled her weakened state from the castle to Taylor, the poor woman was terrified and withdrawn when she reached Taylor's arms. He spent the next five months in a secluded home outside of Italy with Rebecca trying to draw her out of her muted state. One night when Taylor went out to find food for her, he came back and she had vanished."

More images. Luke touched my hand to give me warning and I closed my eyes. _A grim expression haunted Taylor, still dressing in the fine suits, though his black hair was windblown because of the run from the town to the isolated home Luke had mentioned was outside of Italy. He held an older child in his arms as he crawled over the hills, a young woman scarcely breathing. He expected Rebecca to be in the lounge as she usually was, he was hopeful a live victim she would take and become animated with the blood lust, more so than the lifeless doll she'd been since her turning; but she was not there. Taylor seemed distressed and searched the entire home for her, then outside around the hills and the trees and the vines of the wood. He searched all night until the moment of dawn and he was forced to return home to hide himself from the sun. He wished hopelessly she was there, waiting for him, but she was not, again; and the victim he'd brought for her lay dead, undrained. Right before he retired, he heard a scream from the outside and the most terrified look was struck into his eyes._

"The following night he went outside to confirm what he feared she had done." Luke finished verbally as I recovered again.

"She killed herself?"

Luke nodded.

"That is the reason Taylor loathes Courtney so much and wants her dead; not just because she's broken a few laws. He not only has the brains for the job, he has the motivation. He sees her as the fiend that tricked him and he wants revenge for his pride and to avenge Queen Rebecca. He loathes me because I refuse to help him hunt her."

I was silent. I pulled my hands together and rested on chin on my fingers with a thoughtful sigh. I had questions, many of them, like _why_ Luke would not help Taylor hunt Courtney, but I knew in due time they would be answered.

"Do you take pity on him?" Luke asked curiously.

I thought about my reply. "No. I see he's done fine since then," I glanced at my arm and the healing wound there. "Actually, I've seen his replacement for that queen." I thought of Julia, how she had resembled Rebecca in the visions, and Luke saw the memory and laughed.

"Julia is one of his fledglings. She's... unpredictable." Luke chose his words carefully again.

"She just seemed high-energy and demanding to me."

"She is so much more than just the commanding side you saw of her. She almost has a split personality; on one hand, she is Taylor's personal assistant and obeys every order given to her by him." I recalled that side, she was so in tune with what Taylor wanted and exactly when he wanted it. "But when she is enticed... submissive isn't a word she understands."

I cocked a brow and coughed into my hand. We were getting off track.

"Anyway, Taylor's followed sources and hunted Courtney ever since with no success. Just in the past decade he tracked Courtney to this area and asked to watch over this city until she moved somewhere else." Ten years, that was around the time my mother and I came here. Made sense. "Taylor may be a fine detective, but he's not the best leader these vampires have ever seen, though he has the potential and he does well in his job of cleaning up. What he's done here in this city, in the meantime of searching for Courtney, is build two groups between the vampires; the old and classy of his kin separated from the younger 'outcasts,' you could call them." I listened to Luke's words but glanced at the punk-appareled vampires below; still young in immortality, doing as they pleased and having no consequences in a place like this.

"I don't think 'outcast' is the right word." I said quietly and sympathetically, my eyes traveling to that biker-like vampire still at the pool table. He aimed, knocked three different striped balls in at one time. _Nice shot_, I thought. _Thanks_, I heard a voice say in my head. My eyes widened, I looked around at Luke, then back down at the biker vampire on the other side of the room. He grinned toward our direction and Luke growled defensively.

"Don't think thoughts toward them, some of them are telepathic. None of them will approach us, though. Not while I'm here."

"Too old for them?" I teased. He smirked and leaned back in his chair and set a lazy arm over the backside while his other stretched across the table. He made the effort to sigh, another second-nature human gesture he didn't need to make because vampires didn't need to breath at all.

"Actually, the new ones changed in the last decade or so consider me ancient. Four-hundred-eighty-two is nothing compared to the ancients I've met, but anything over a hundred to them is a vampire who is 'wise and powerful.'

"The young ones obey the laws, for the most part, but Taylor and _his_ people, that exclusive selection of classy and old, are the ones who live inside The Vampire Mansion, as you call it. Others just live in basements or cellars or wherever they can manage. Any vampire who leaves the city to settle elsewhere must find the vampire who owns that territory, if any, as appointed by The Grand Council and gain permission. Some vampires are rogues and nomads, and they just keep on the move so that The Grand Council doesn't ever bother them."

"Sounds complicated." I chimed in. The waiter came around with a fourth round.

"Sometimes it can be, mostly it isn't." he replied. "Not that you need to worry about it. You mortals have your own laws and politics, after all."

There was a pause between us as we each finished our fourth glass. Thank God alcohol passed right through me until my seventh or eighth glass or else I'd have been a mess right now. Luke couldn't out drink me, even if he were human. "So," I broke the silence and set my glass to the side. My tone was anticipating. "Continue with Courtney's story of how she became the monster and the manipulator she is."

"Let's leave first." Luke replied vexatiously and stood limberly. My patience was running thinner and thinner with this impossible man! How much longer did he need to stall? Just like the night before, I already knew I wasn't going to like what he was going to tell me, but I had to deal. I stood, smiling politely to Luke and masking my impatience as well as I could.

--

He secured his arm around me again as we exited and I minded my sight as we walked out of this dank part of town. "Never come here without me, remember." I nodded. I could obey that rule easily enough, if no others. "And just so we're clear, we're heading to your apartment to get whatever you need and you're moving in with me for awhile."

I wanted to stop and argue but Luke pressed on my hip, almost to a point of pain and we continued on until he hailed a cab. "I'm guessing that your reasons for my moving in don't just concern my safety." I told him after we were seated in the cab. Luke told the driver my address and then turned his head toward me and grabbed my wrist to keep me close to his body.

"What else would it concern?" he asked in a low, teasing tone. I raised a brow and his lips pressed into the thinnest smile. I showed him the night at the drive-in movie and the way he couldn't contain himself when I touched him through my memories. He chuckled and gripped tighter so that I came closer and couldn't budge any other way. "I assure you, if you're worried about my behavior in the presence of a woman as marvelous as yourself, you have nothing to fear." His cold and tantalizing breath created goosebumps on my cheek. I fanned my eyelashes as he came too close for my eyes to focus on.

He was bewitched when my warm breath tinged with scotch touched his very lips. "Whoever said I was scared, Lucas?" The air was thick, I felt suddenly warm with the frisky setting that had just overtaken us; what had caused it, the alcohol, the mischievous atmosphere of town he led me through beforehand, our own hidden desires, a mixture of them all. I'd forgotten we were inside a cab and there was a witness to these exotic events.

Our lips brushed and if only that cab driver had waited one more instant to open his mouth and create the most disruptive sound, those cold lips would have taken mine with a ravenous hunger.

"That'll be 18.76." The unshaved driver cut in as he looked back at us. Luke had already put space between us and handed the man a twenty.

"Keep the change." he said rather sorely. I was yanked out of the cab and we stood together on the street before my apartment building. Whatever mood I had imagined between us was lost. I recalled what I had asked earlier.

"The story."

"Where were we?" he inquired as he looked around the street, still rather protectively, and then we walked up the stairs until we reached my apartment near the top.

"Uhm, Courtney was human, beautiful and vain, had a baby girl and became infertile, so Stephan passed the decree about the family name." Luke nodded. I could tell he was more quizzing me rather than asking where he left off, he knew exactly where he'd stopped. "You mentioned Stephan was driven to a point of madness." He waited until I unlocked the door and we stepped inside.

"Before I mention _why_ Stephan, and Courtney for that matter, became psychotic by today's denotation, you must know Courtney's one fear." I inhaled a slow breath as my mind signaled for my ears to listen closely to this part. A weakness was important to know, even if I wasn't going to tell the fiend Taylor. "Courtney was very satisfied with her life as Queen, but the one thing she needed to be truly happy with her vain personality was her youthful beauty; and she knew that beauty was something that faded overtime. This thought of aging, eroding away with the sands of time was truly her one and only fear. She literally would do anything to keep her beauty, which I will also go into detail later." He paused to take a seat on my couch and I followed in a seat to his side. "Losing her beauty bit by bit until death was the one inevitable end that Courtney couldn't stand to accept. Very proud, she was, but also very narcissistic and self absorbed. When her daughter was born, Courtney was forced to accept she had to share her beauty with another vessel. She named the baby girl Helena, and Courtney's innocent conscience became more bitter each day her child grew."

My complete attention was upon him, he had a smirk on his lips as he reclined in a new position. The smirk fell into a creased frown. "In three years after Helena was born, both the King and Queen slowly starting becoming crazed. Stephan created the creed that would allow his daughter to continue the line, but that wasn't enough. He wanted a son and he didn't want to accept his wife was handicapped to reproducing. He started accusing the queen of being ungrateful for the things she had since she would not bear him another child. He raped her when this madness blinded his otherwise stable judgment, beat her when she argued back of how she "could not" bear children, not "would not." and on occasion he threatened to kill her and take a new wife that would be able to produce offspring." He touched my knee and showed me these appalling actions my ancestor had committed in short sequences._ I heard Courtney's scream and cries of pain, she fell over when Stephan struck a blow and then came over her... He shouted something cruel and she was in already tears._ I was leaning against Luke's shoulder, out of breath when these awful visions ended. "At first it was only every now and then this madness would release, and the queen had tried to give Stephan the benefit of the doubt and blame him actions on stress or other various factors. But as the months went by, his outbursts occurred more frequently and the queen became less lenient."

I was quiet. Yes, that was horrible and unfortunate, but I wouldn't give pity to Courtney. There were plenty of people who've had worse and didn't go around murdering families. "Didn't anyone notice the King beat his wife?" I asked and sat up again

"Naturally, any witnesses to these horrible encounters knew better than to snitch on a king and kept their mouth shut for a small fee. Others who sought justice for the queen were hung on false charges virtually the next morning."

"And Courtney?" I asked him. He'd mentioned they both were driven to insanity, one by the other, I imagined.

"Before the beatings and the rape, Courtney showed signs of immorality. Her daughter was the cause of this. The mother of the baby loved her child as any mother, at first anyway, but as I mentioned before, the older and more beautiful Helena grew, the more bitter and twisted Courtney became. She started secretly blaming the infant for her loss of fertility, and accused the child of stealing her beauty, but she would never let harm come to her daughter. What she did was become obsessed with finding some way to preserve her youth and gain back her fertility; every time Stephan assaulted her, she became more determined and willing to do anything for these things. Legends of the fountain of youth had sprung up from the New World, as well as the fruit from the Tree of Life mentioned in Greek myths and the Bible, the European-based legend of the philosopher's stone, Pagan rituals of bathing in young maiden's blood to absorb their youth, and of course, vampires. Vampires in that day and age were defined under the dominant idea of the Christian church as monstrous souls that were damned to never seek heaven or hell, cursed to stay on the earth forever and never reach a judgment, drinking and living on, in a sense, by the blood of the mortal. It was a sin to wish to be damned, a direct defiance to the Christian God."

I sat in awe, listening intently while he seemed distracted from the entire story-telling process by a pen on my coffee table. He clicked the pen a few times and I went to grab it from his hand so he would concentrate on what he was telling me, but he avoided my attempt and set a cold finger on my lips. "Despite this, Courtney was even willing to 'defy God' in order to keep her youth, if all else failed. Although she was still as beautiful as ever, she became completely obsessed and mad with finding the answer to immortality when Helena reached her third birthday. I see now that obsession is simply a female Lockett trait." He took his finger from my lips and motioned to my living room covered in books and research of vampires.

I blushed furiously.

"And I see beauty is a trait as well." he added with a stunning smile. My face reddened even more and I turned away, but he sat up and kissed the top of my head. "Modest," he whispered. I smirked when recalling Lucy told me that as well, all of the time.

"Please continue the story." I said to him, sitting very still so he wouldn't be encouraged and would go on. He decided to lay down and play with a piece of my hair instead.

"Pack your things and I'll continue when we get back to my mansion." he told me finally.

Reluctant to let him stop again, I rushed away to shove a few random clothes and toiletries in a suitcase I had in my closet. It wasn't as if my apartment was a quick walk away from Luke's mansion, I didn't see the point of me 'moving in,' as he put it. "Not that I'm complaining..." I started, dragging my packed suitcase into the living room. "But I don't see the point of keeping me under your supervision at all times. I'm not a child, Lucas." Oh, pulled out the full first name. If I knew his middle name, if he had one, I could use his full name and _then_ he'd have to answer to me...

"I've showed you and told you more things tonight than you should ever know, and if I'm not mistaken, Taylor has an interest to kill you after I'm done and I'm not taking the risk to have you too far out of my range. If you stay in the mansion while the sun isn't in the sky, no one will come inside as long as I am there with you. Any vampire with any sense whatsoever knows not to mess with me on my own property, love." He stood slowly from the couch and let his blond hair fall in his eyes and lifted his gaze to mine through those shimmering yellow strands...

I tensed as I focused on his form coming close to mine with impossible speed but then relaxed against at his touch; his arm found my waist and he lifted me unto my toes so my body pressed into his. "And I know very well you are not a child, but a woman, Allison."

Oh, he was good. I was tired but my attention focused completely on him as he did this. He almost won me over with that masculine display, almost. My hands touched his chest and his face came closer to kiss me, to continue what had almost gone on in the cab, but I was keen on getting to his mansion and finishing the tale of Courtney and I turned my head away. He growled softly into the crook of my neck when I refused but then silenced and placed a cold kiss on the pulse there. I melted out of his embrace and touched the top of my suitcase to brace myself momentarily.

"To your mansion to finish the story, Luke." I said with sudden urgency. He nodded to me with a cunning smirk on his lips and lifted my suitcase and led the way out. I turned off the lights and locked the door and we went on our way, back to that black iron gate and up to the oak doors with lion head knockers.

When Luke opened the door for me, I slipped my jacket off and couldn't help but let out a yawn. I glanced at my watch, nearly four in the morning already! The night was growing old and I had not eaten dinner or really rested after Taylor had stolen blood from me. I was so tired, and hungry...The nights events were not conservative and it was well passed my bedtime. Luke set my things down by the front and came to my side.

"Tired?" Luke teased. Damn right I was, but I rubbed my eyes and sat down on the couch and denied it. The romantic candles were burned through, the fire was barely aflame, its heat had lessened but it was still there and so embracing. Like I could just curl up and sleep right here... _No!_ I thought again and jerked myself awake.

"We'll continue the story tomorrow, Allison. I wouldn't want you to pass out while I'm talking, that would be so rude of you." He bent down to pick up my form without effort. I tried to stop him, I told him no, I was fine, please go on. I wanted the story, dammit. Dawn wasn't for two more hours at least...

He had already slipped me into satin sheets by the time I was done objecting. I sighed and rolled over into the pillow nearest to me. Guess there was no point to deny a perfect bed for a peaceful rest. Did it matter there was a vampire looming over me, watching me as I drifted away into sleep? Quite frankly, I was too tired for it to matter enough. I felt his arm around my waist, and then his soothing whisper in my ear. "You are free to use anything you like here. The only place off-limits will be the room my crypt is in, you know the one. It would be very wise of you not to disturb me while I rest. Don't come in my room, or even _look_ at the door." I muttered acknowledgment and the arm lifted off me. "You better be here when I wake up." It wasn't a threat, more a warning.

"Until tonight." I said to him now, my voice dreamy. His liquid voice replied the same, I think. I had already drifted into a deep sleep.

No dreams this time. I was thankful for that, I didn't want to wake up in sweat from a nightmare thanks to Taylor and I didn't want to wake up in a sweat from a pleasure sequence thanks to Luke. Both would result in a shower and I disliked the idea of waking up covered in perspiration; sleeping was a relaxing act, not an exercise.


	16. Chapter XIV Part II

**Note:** A quick note before I begin the chapter I know you all will hate me for, but I will make up for next chapter. Read carefully, it'll be nice story telling...and then I'm going to throw a bomb in there. And then push my characters off a cliff. So watch out.

I have started a new story. "Sweet Claudia, Return to Me." Check it out. I will not update on it until I am close to finishing this story, however, so do not worry. I'm going to try to finish this story before school starts again but I don't see that happening because my friends and my life outside if these internet walls miss me. But who knows, we'll see.

**Chapter 14 – The story of Courtney and how she became Vengeance, the vampire Taylor, and the vampire Lucas.  
****Part Two.**

When I awoke, I grasped a better picture of my surroundings. The sun was up and spilling into the room through half open, black drapes over the bed I was resting in, also covered in black satin sheets. I was hugging one of the many heavenly pillows that were arranged nicely on the bed before I was lay there and ruined the decoration.

I sat up and squinted my eyes against the rays of sun that had attacked my face. Still morning, I groaned into a pillow when remembering how Luke forced me to go to sleep earlier in the day. Damn him procrastinating that story more so! Perhaps he was doing that because he wanted to prolong my stay, and Taylor said he would take me after Luke told me everything, and Luke had not told me everything yet. And Luke had made it clear he'd protect me... I didn't know Luke's reasons and I didn't dwell further.

I finally arose from those divine satin sheets around noon time, many hours before the sun was supposed to set, because I was hungry. All I had yesterday for dinner was scotch, so my stomach growled with an agonizing appetite. I wondered if Luke had any food in that gigantic kitchen... I walked out of the room and figured I was somewhere on the second floor from the height above the ground when glancing outside through windows. Eventually I found my way to the stairs and forgot about Luke's warning to not even look at his door... I couldn't help it and I looked over at the first door I had went inside when I walked into his mansion.

Luke was... many things. Polite, cunning, protective, aggressive, quick-tempered, attractive, and then ruthless; he was just confusing to try and sum up, that's all. I smiled and directed my eyes away and continued to the stairs. My hand touched the railing of the staircase and a rather childish idea popped into my head.

I sat my bottom on the stair rail and slid down. Almost lost my balance once, but when catching myself and jumping from the rail I simply laughed and ran through the living room to the kitchen with a giant amount of enthusiasm. I was suddenly excited! How could I not be, I was free to do anything I wanted in this giant mansion of a vampire who had good taste, I must admit. To be honest, I felt like I was at home again! The architecture of his mansion and furniture and wallpapers and arrangements all felt like my royal home back in Europe that I remembered growing up in.

I think I started singing some random tune as I slid into the kitchen to look for something to eat. There was only canned food in one cabinet, most of it outdated, and a few dining plates and bowls and silverware hidden in the drawers and cupboards. I took out a soup that wasn't too outdated...only by three months. I was too hungry to care and stuck it in the microwave I thanked Luke for having. One and a half minutes to wait and I found myself walking towards the back doors leading unto the terrace. It was a beautiful stone platform with a stone wall around it where little flowers were planted and ivy hung down the side, then rock steps declined into the yard. The sun was high in the sky and I opened the glass doors and went out to admire the architecture of the terrace more; I'd bet it was ten times more romantic at night under the moonlight.

The timer on the microwave signaled my food was ready. I traveled back indoors and devoured the canned soup and was satisfied even though it tasted rather awful. It would be enough to tie me over until I made a trip to the deli before the daylight hours were over. Still bouncing with energy, I kicked off my shoes and slid across the hardwood flooring in the living room and ended up flipping over the back of a couch and landing face-first on the cushions. I giggled and lay myself upside down with my head touching the floor and admired the high-ceiling room from a different angle.

Ah, I felt like a child again! The young girl I was, doing these things in my royal home and getting scolded each time. Sliding from the railings on spiral staircases, chasing the pure white hounds our family raised until the servants locked the canines away from me, dropping objects from the second story down on people walking around the first, catching butterflies out in the garden and maze on the grounds in the springtime...

Luke didn't understand just how homesick his mansion made me. I sighed and crawled across the floor over to the bear-skin in front of the fireplace, where a mound of ashes lay inside. I leaned my head on the brick before the fireplace and sighed. I felt relieved to reminisce in all of those memories, glad I hadn't forgotten a single one of them, but then I would remember I was still in America and my true home country lay thousands of miles across an ocean.

I shook the unhappiness out of my head and traveled around the hallways of the first floor. It was so dark, but I suppose it's what to be expected from a vampire home... I opened up every drape I could find to let light flow through the halls. Ah, much better on the eyes, of a mortal anyway. There were suits of armors, paintings, china and rugs from all over the world decorating nearly every part of the hallway and other rooms as I wandered through... I found the door to the study again and stepped inside with an enthusiastic interest.

So many books! I didn't even want to read them, just be excited by the titles and the quantity. Half of them were in languages I didn't know anyway, like Latin, so I suppose it didn't matter. I found a old desk in one corner of the room with parchment and a quill and ink bottles inside. I took these out and thought about a witty message I could leave, if Luke would appreciate me wasting his stationary on such a silly thing. 'Allison Mary Lockett' I wrote simply in a very beautiful cursive style I had once practiced. I tapped my fingers on the paper as my sapphire eyes slid over the words. When would I build up the courage to tell my friends who I really was?

I put the quill and ink away and turned away from the desk; my eyes rested on a rug that hung on the wall opposite of where I sat. How could I have not noticed it before? I gasped as my eyes slid over my family crest, very intricate in detail, hand stitched and made in my home country on that rug. I stood, came closer and took in every design and color; my hand reached out to touch the soft material.

No, Luke understood perfectly that his home reminded me of my homeland. He never once called me Ally, Ms. Lovett once just to spite me, but he'd always called be by my true name and what for? He wanted me to accept who I was and where I came from. Damn him, life was so easy and miserable before I met Lucas Hawthorn. Now it was just complicated and difficult and interesting, like him. His very presence was forcing me to face the music, meet my fate...

I looked upon my family crest and then looked away and walked out of the room. I traveled slowly into the living room and my eyes lay upon the three wilted flowers that littered the hardwood. I took in a breath and looked over his mansion's interior and thought about my royal estate. One day I knew I'd return home... Should that day be soon?

But I wanted to break the Lockett curse before I went back. I needed Luke's help to do that. I could quit my job and tell my friends I where I was going easily enough, but _she_ was the catch to this plan.

Was I even ready to face my nation once again?

Perhaps I was overreacting. Homesick on top of stressed and contained. Finding out who was behind my family curse and being threatened into betraying an ally and having an entire new world of darkness thrust upon me was _quite _overwhelming. Luke and I couldn't continue our conversation until tonight anyway... What better to relieve stress than quitting my job and taking my blonde angel on a shopping spree? I needed to get out of his mansion, just for a little while. _Yes, keep avoiding your fate._ My inner voice said. I shook it from me looked around for my suitcase and a bathroom so I could shower and prepare myself to go out.

One of the bedrooms downstairs had a giant bathtub and a separate shower inside glass walls; the bathroom itself was big enough to have a party in! Though the bathtub and all its bath salts and oils were tempting, I settled for a shower, quick but I washed by body over twice, especially on the wound made my the fiend Taylor. I didn't both wrapping my creamy skin in a towel afterward and walked over to the mirror over the sink to look at the bruising on my back; it had turned a lovely purple color compared to yesterday, same with the ones on my arm. Brilliant, I'd need long sleeves on this beautiful sunny day. I dried myself with one of the hundreds of towels in one of the walk-in closets and skipped over to my suitcase.

I looked for the perfect outfit to wear on this day, a day where I was going to quit my job and I needed to express "Hey! I am a strong and capable woman and I do not need to waste my time here any longer." I found an acceptable length black skirt and spaghetti strap top, and to go over the revealing top, a violet deep v-neck shirt with long billowy sleeves, dazzling designs printed on them. Billowy sleeves always gave a woman that smooth and goddess-like appearance. Am I wrong?

And to work this outfit with the edge I wanted to present today... I silently thanks Lucy for buying me those tall black leather boots with the two inch heels on my last birthday. She claimed they'd be for my bad-ass-chick phase she was convinced I'd have one day. Again, my angel was right, even if for a few hours.

After brushing my long wheat and russet hair out and perhaps putting a hint of gloss on to give the pink of my lips a shine, I grabbed a tiny handbag to hold my cell phone and wallet, full of my fake-named ID the credit cards I'd use to go celebratory shopping with... I glanced at my watch, which read 2 pm. I had plenty of time.

The sound of the heels clicking on the hardwood and stone floors of Luke's home gave the inner Allison all the confidence she needed to emerge fully, just for the day. Luke was a smart and strong man, after all. He would find me if I were late, which I doubted I'd be. He'd definitely like what he'd see.

Lucy would be proud if she saw me, all prettied up and high-maintenance all by myself. I left Luke's mansion, hailed a cab and decided to call Lucy on my cell phone. She answered in seconds. "Ally! The boss is so angry with you right now. Where are you?"

"Do you want to go shopping with me in about... thirty minutes?" I asked her.

She sounded confused. "Shopping? Ally, it's not your day off, you're about to get fired and you want me to go shopping with you?"

I glanced at my watch again. "You get off in about thirty minutes, right? I can make it forty-five if you need time..."

"Uhm, no, thirty is fine. I'd love to go shopping with you." she sounded resolute now. Usually it was her talking to me like this and I was the worried one.

"Great! I'll meet you outside the agency, after I speak to the boss."

We hung up and instead of going straight to the office, I made a little detour to the bank. I planned on shopping until these heels killed my feet, so I needed to make sure I had enough money for something like a shopping spree... I knew I did, but I didn't know an exact amount.

--

I looked at my bank statement the man behind the desk at the bank slid toward me. My eyes widened.

"Is this amount correct, sir?" I asked in an astonishing tone.

The man looked over the statement and then glanced at his computer screen. "Yes, madam. You have one-hundred-forty-nine-thousand-six-hundred-fifty-two dollars and forty-two cents in your account.

I might have been hyperventilating a little bit at this point. "T-thank you, sir." I turned and walked away.

I took in deep and even breaths. I knew I'd been saving every cent I didn't need to spend over the past three years, just money on rent, food, clothes, cell phone, electric and water; no car, no extras, really. But _that much_ had accumulated plus interest? I smiled to myself and knew I didn't have to worry about money. I could cross that off my list; now I just had to quit my job and make my identity known to the people who deserved to know over a celebratory spending phase. Sounded dandy..

--

I was beaming as I strode into the office and went straight past my desk and toward my boss' office. He was shouting at one of the accountants and tell her how she got the numbers wrong _again_. "Double check and get it right or don't come back!"

Man, this was the same guy I'd been working for the past three years? Just the other day when he called, he added in a little bit about worrying about my safety and to make sure I take a cab. Then yesterday he'd decided to humiliate me in front of my co workers, and today, as he set his eyes upon me, his tan face burned to a red plum color. I'd always eaten dirt and did exactly what I was told over the years of employment here. Now I see this man's true colors when I'm not doing exactly what he wants me to. Red plum, I thought, and I smiled since it was fairly humorous.

"Do you think it's funny that this is the _second_ day you've walked into this establishment late, Ms. Lovett?" he snapped at me. "And why are you not getting caught up with the pile of paperwork I sat on your desk this morning?"

I walked in slowly, still smiling, and my hands swung around my hips as I walked over in front of his desk. The heels thudded lightly on the carpeted floor, my hair hung loosely around my shoulders. "Not really, Mr. Gay. The funniest part right now is your name and the way it describes you and your favorite male models strolling in and out of here when there is no appointment." I had no idea if that statement of true, but the sharp tease in my voice made him very angry. I sat gracefully in one of the chairs across from his desk and kicked my boots up to rest on the edge of his desk. Like any man of low standards, his eyes flickered downward and when I laughed he shot them back up at me. Man, I hope someone records this! "And the reason I'm not doing any work right now is because... well, I don't want to."

He seemed stunned. His left eyebrow twitched, I heard a murmur of whispers behind me and one gasp, I knew that gasp was Daniel's. A small amount of people had stopped near the office and were peering in.

He rose, very angry still, over me and glared down at my thin form. "You don't want to do your work, Lovett?" he said warningly.

I kicked my feet off his desk and stood as well, my hands touching the edge. "Not particularly. The only reason I took more time out of my life to walk into your office today was to tell you that I quit. Your money is no longer required and I don't think I need to waste another minute here, taking pictures, filing a few papers and pissing on cue so that you can get your promotions." My tone was steady, even. I felt so calm. It was unnatural I wasn't shaking by now. "Not that I haven't enjoyed working with and meeting new people," I called back to the small crowd that had formed at the office door. Daniel gave me a thumbs up and the rest of them jumped back on what they were doing beforehand. "Good day, sir."

A trick from Daniel, I tipped my invisible hat to him, turned around and walked out.

The boss exploded when I had exited. "You're fired!" I heard him shout. Daniel came to my side with his jaw dropped, but he still managed to smile. His hazel eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Bloody hell, Ally! That was brilliant! I was wondering when you were finally going to snap under that old bloke's demands. I'm glad I work in make-up and not under him... Aha, but now you don't either!" He was ecstatic. I felt the adrenaline at last. We both walked to the front of the building with Daniel quoting my performance the entire time.

I let out a long sigh. "That felt, good." I said to him. Lucy should be somewhere around here by now...

"I bet it did. Are you going to celebrate? But, what are you going to do about money? Do you already have a new job lined up?"

I shook my head. "I don't need another job for a little while. I just found out I have a _ton_ of money I didn't know about. I'm going shopping with Luce to celebrate."

Right as I said her name, she approached us. Blonde, beautiful, innocent; surprised to see me dressed as I was, wearing the heel boots I said I never would. "Did you talk to the boss, Ally?" she asked me after greeting us.

Daniel interrupted before I could get a word in; "Like hell she did. Ally told that prat exactly what she meant. "I came here to tell you I quit!"" He made me sound more riddiculous than actual and he added silly gestures. "I'm not even on break right now, I just happened to be walking by. I have to get back to work..." he added.

Lucy laughed at Daniel but she didn't seem too enthused about me quitting. I smiled nervously, "Right, so, let's go."

Daniel nodded and let us walk our separate ways. "Make sure she doesn't spend all your money, Ally. She's expensive." he winked, because he was kidding, but he was still punched in the arm by Lucy and then given a kiss.

"You're lucky you're cute, Brit boy." she shot at him. He grinned nervously and held his arm and watched us walk away.

--

I had told Lucy not to worry about money when we sat down at the food court in the north side mall. Food, delicious food... I explained to her that I had a ton amount of money stashed away and that I'd get her anything she so pleased while we were out today. The occasion? Well, just look at me. She tried questioning me about why I had quit, if there was anything I needed to say or let out, if I was doing okay after the drive in movie incident... I thriftily avoided answering these questions as our shopping experience continued.

Finally, Lucy became fed up and cornered me in a department store. "Ally, I don't want you to think I'm not grateful or that I don't like this new...approach with everything in your life, but is everything okay?"

Genuine concern. Expectant curiosity. Demanding acknowledgment. I stopped what I was doing and set my bags on the floor. I knew how this looked, it looked like I had lost my mind, or I had finally cracked. I had quit my job, gave my look and personality an edge suddenly and wanted to excessively spend my money all in one day. I turned around and tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear before looking up into Lucy's eyes. They were sparkling, but not exactly with happiness. I touched her arm and led her around a corner to a less occupied section of the store.

"I'm going to tell you straight out."

She nodded, ready.

"I'm not Ally Lovett."

"Your real name is Allison Lockett, isn't it? I knew it when I read those newspaper articles in your apartment-" I cut her off by setting my hand over her mouth. She blushed and quieted.

"You're very smart, Luce. Yeah, I'm the lost heir, Allison Lockett. I've lived in America for twelve years and avoided returning to my country until I felt...ready. I guess you could say I've been hiding, and I'm sorry I had to lie to you and Danny..."

"Oh, no, I completely understand! You had to keep a secret identity! Will your government come and take you back if they find you here?" she asked in a whisper, vividly interested, feeling as if this were some sort of secret agent movie and she had just become a part of it.

I laughed. "No. Well, I'm not sure what action they'd take, that's why I've remained hidden. I'm not done." I added before she could open her mouth again. "And I want to tell you now, though it's a little off subject... That gorgeous blonde model Luke and I _have_ been seeing each other after the blind date you set up. We went out to a club just last night, which is why I was late to work this morning, and I just quit because I've been meaning too lately, and the only thing I will miss from there is you and Daniel."

Lucy didn't have anything to ask or say at first. She only grinned widely at me and her aqua eyes sparkled. "Oh, Ally! Or, Alli_son_! I'm so proud! I always knew there was some assertive, strong-willed side to you that you were keeping hidden." The next part was in a whisper. "I just never suspected it was that of a _queen_!"

I blushed, but my lips tugged upward into a smile. Yeah, I guess... Allison Lockett was the strong-willed one...like her daddy. She was shining through all day today.

"You have to promise me something, though."

Lucy nodded. "Anything, your _majesty_." she play-mocked with a smile. I rolled my eyes and sighed. She just had to get it out of her system...

"Don't tell Daniel. I want to be the one to tell him and now is not the time. Have you guys gotten together again yet?" I asked as I went to pick up my abandoned shopping bags.

"I won't. And not yet, we were both busy last night. We are tonight, though..."

And the conversation and shopping continued from there. It was better not to mention anything about vampires right now. Another time, if a time ever presented itself. I didn't want Lucy and Daniel to get involved with vampires and Courtney if they didn't need to be. Not knowing would keep them safe, and I wanted them safe.

--

Dusk had come. Lucy and I were winding down, but I knew I wasn't going to make it back to Luke's mansion before nightfall. I could already see his angry white face, and I recalled his warning about being back when he woke up. Was he worried Taylor might snatch me? Hell, I was getting worried about that, but I wanted to make sure Lucy got home safe with all her bags, without harm from mysterious 'wolf' slaughterings the city was still making a huge fuss about, and wish her good luck with Daniel tonight... Then I rode the cab straight from her house to his.

Being out by myself during night dressed like I was was not the greatest move to pull, even if vampires were not involved. I payed the cab driver and stepped out on the sidewalk in front of the black iron gate, holding all of my shopping bags. The night was cool, relaxing. And the moon was a only half full now, shrinking with each passing day until the cycle restarted.

_He_ stood at the door to his estate, waiting, watching patiently. He could be infuriated, amazed, or simply brooding with his arms crossed over his chest and head tilted away from the light. I opened the gate and walked in, we met halfway, my billowy shirt sleeves streaming and the heels digging their way into the gravel of the walkway. The tight gray shirt and blue jeans he changed into on this night were very inviting again... His expression was completely blank as he stood over me and said nothing, his eyes traveled over my appearance and I believe he tried reviewing all of what I'd done during the day up to why I was a tad late. I misdirected his thoughts by thinking of many things from the night before.

"I'd be happy to tell you what I've done today if you had simply asked." I told him with a certain... mischievous implication.

That was enough for him to take my bags and we walked inside together. He directed me towards the living room again and I almost ran into his backside when he suddenly stopped. His next action made me jump. It was a normal action for a human, the kind of thing people say "Bless you," afterwards. Luke sneezed, and when his body tensed and he bent over and his face tightened to perform this action, I was honestly surprised. "I didn't know vampires could sneeze."

"Normally we don't," he started in a grumble as he rubbed his white nose. "Actually, I'm the only vampire who does that because I sneezed under the sun when I was mortal. But the sun and me don't mix obviously, so when you open all of the drapes and let sunlight into my house, it's the equivalent of "allergy season," in your modern terms, for me right after sunset because the heat of the rays are still fresh inside the walls."

I pressed my lips together and tried not to laugh. Luke seemed like he was going to sneeze again but he held his breath and waited for that awful building feeling to pass. He shot a glare at me when a giggle did slip through. "My fault." I said as he set my bags down by the couch.

I thought about the beginning of my day and allowed him to see the events in my head; I woke up, ran around the house, found something to eat and explored until I left to go check my money and quit my job, then spend my money and confess to Lucy and get her home.

"Basically, I had a busy day." I finished with words as I sat down on a couch in the living room and pulled off the heel boots. They were killers on the feet, I groaned a rubbed my foot. It seemed the more outspoken part of myself had withered and under the darkness I just wanted to relax and get on with the story of Courtney.

"I didn't think you were serious about quitting your job..." he started as he sat on the floor in front of me. I smiled sheepishly and shrugged. He thought over the rest of what I showed him of this day while he slept. "And you came out."

"Excuse me?" I remarked quickly.

"About your true name. I'm proud as long as you don't tell that girl anything else...anything about vampires or Courtney." His tone dropped to a low warning again.

"Her name is Lucy." I told him. "And I don't plan on telling her anything of vampires..." Yet. "I don't want her to get involved as far as I have." I glanced at the wound on my arm. Luke reached over and gently handled my limb, a kiss was placed on the wound and it felt rather nice to have something cold soothe the skin there. I drew my arm back without a word and a soft pink was painted on my cheeks.

Luke seemed distracted again as he sat on the floor and watched as I did this and said that. I couldn't tell if the expression on his face was amusement or amazement. As I watched him watch me, he looked up and then started digging through the dozens of bags he'd carried in for me.

I tried to stop him from going through my items but he shifted his body so his back pinned my legs into the couch and I couldn't move anything below my torso. I groaned and could only watch as he pulled everything out of the bags and made a bigger mess in his living room than there already was from the night before. I could feel the vibrations within him against my legs as he laughed, either at my reaction to him or the things he was discovering.

Shirts, most useless that I'd never wear, some sexy lingerie-looking items Lucy insisted I had to buy, a pair of ankle strapies I'd never be caught in and would probably break my leg if I did wear, a dress too nice and too skimpy for me to ever put on, several jeans I planned on wearing in the future, a 30 Days of Night comic book. Luke laughed at and put to the side. "I'm taking that." he told me. I argued, what right did he have to just take something I just bought? He ignored me and still wasn't done... there was a nice pair of sunglasses for men I'd never wear but I liked, an assortment of small trinkets such as statues of a dragon holding a crystal ball or a glass fairy sitting on a flower that Luke was more careful with when taking out of the box to look at. There were scents and lotions from _Bath and Body Works _that Luke approved of, ("Like I need your approval."), movies I'd never seen that Lucy insisted I had to watch or I was "missing out on life," CD's of artists I secretly liked but hadn't really cared for music in my lifestyle, a few bracelets and ear rings that caught my attention. And finally the last item, which Luke held up and genuinely laughed over, a pair of underwear with "Majesty"on the butt in sparkle letters that Lucy forced me to buy. I snatched them away and elbowed his ear.

"It's _not_ funny." I said darkly to him. He only laughed further. Finally he stopped putting pressure on my legs and I sat differently the couch. Luke's eyes found my body again and I shifted uncomfortably... damn this skirt Allison had to put on and flaunt all day. Luke mused with a small smile on his face.

"So we're "seeing each other," huh?" he asked teasingly in reference to my confession to Lucy.

"Well, yeah. I'm looking at you and you're gawking at me..."

"Not what I meant, Allison." He was sharper now, in an aggressive way. His smile grew to a grin and his hands came to each side of my legs as he stood on his knees and turned to face me. His eyes demanded me. "And I'm not "gawking," I'm admiring. I never thought skirts would be in your _modest_ dress code." His cold fingers latched underneath my knees and I became rather alarmed at the intimacy of his touch.

I blushed and pushed his hands away. He was trying to close in on me, I stood up to break that chance. "I'm going to change into something more comfortable, and when I come back, you're going to continue the story right where you left off this morning." I said absolutely. My tone, body and blood commanded it, then I strode away to find my suitcase somewhere on the first floor... Inside it would be a nice pair of jeans and a soft shirt.

I respected Luke in the sense he was not a peeping tom, but taking in the factors of his abilities it was perfectly possible for him to get away with such an act.

When I walked back into the main of the home, it was dark. The lights were off and moonlight cast into the mansion through the open drapes and a breeze caught my hair as I pulled it from the neck of my shirt. Wait, breeze? I turned to the terrace in the back, the glass doors were open, and a candle in a glass ball waited on a circular table outside. Luke sat in a chair opposite of that candle and to a bottle of wine and a glass. He faced his palm up to invite me to sit when I took slow steps into the night, wondering just why Luke chose the settings he did, when he did.

The flickering candle gave us light but the dancing stars and the half moon did too. Earlier in the day I was thinking about how stunning and romantic this terrace outside would look at night, and Luke had just given me the beauty of it. A firefly or two flickered around me, more were in the yard amongst the trees, I was captivated by their simplicity. Running water was heard below me, I looked down over the terrace wall filled with ivy to see my reflection in a fountain. Luke joined my side a moment later and his reflection joined mine in the choppy water below! "You have a reflection?!" I half asked, half rejoiced. He smiled at me and almost laughed.

"Too many horror movies, Allison. You shouldn't believe everything you see on television." I wanted him to explain a little more of what vampires could and couldn't do, but as I made my way to the seat opposite of Luke, he had dropped the subject. "Another time." he said to me. Good, because I wanted to finish Courtney's story on top of everything else. The night was cool, but not too cool for me to be uncomfortable when I sat down.

My eyes traveled from the nature to him. Luke's calm face was pale and handsome with hints of firelight on his cheeks, his hands folded nicely behind his head. He was watching me intriguingly, like he as expecting something of me, or he wasn't expecting anything at all and had received. My sight had finally taken in the wine, a fine and perfectly aged bottle of Merlot. My warm hand stretched out to handle the bottle but Luke was quicker and had the cork pulled out with a set of claws that had suddenly grew on his fingernails. I cocked a brow and waited patiently for the red of the wine to fall into the glass by his hand. He was looking to me the entire time, blue eyes teaming behind the short blond curls falling over his head.

I didn't quite understand him. I had figured out he played a romantic game, but why with me? Why, had he gone to the trouble to protect me, to warn me of certain dooms, to take time away from his eternity to keep me around and then make all of these romantic scenes from nothing? "Luke, why are doing all of this for me?" The question just slipped from my lips before I could censor myself. Luke folded his hands in front of him after the wine was poured.

"Because I want to." he answered as I took the glass gracefully in my hand. Even though I wondered these things, I trusted him. "I like you, Allison. Is it alright if I want to give you the world on a golden plate?"

I blushed and put the glass to my mouth so my facial expressions would be hidden. The wine touched my tongue and god! It was phenomenal. So good, I left the question alone. I already knew Luke felt something for me and he knew I felt something for him, it was just a matter of _who else_ was dining from that "golden plate."

The purpose of the wine? Luke had mentioned alcohol would make it easier on me with the visions, and I held him in good thoughts for having such good taste in drinks. "You aren't thirsty, are you?" I teased and tilted the glass toward him. He smirked and shook his head.

"I can handle myself. Older vampires don't have to feed every night, the newer ones have a harder time controlling the blood lust."

Blood lust, the moment in a vampire when the thirst becomes too much and the only action that makes sense is to hunt for blood. I sipped the incredible wine again and looked over at the flowers and ivy growing on the stone wall beside us. The breeze caught their petals just as easily as my hair, I closed my eyes to dwell in the feeling.

"So where were we?" Luke insisted as he reclined in his seat.

"Courtney was willing to "defy God" to gain immortality." I answered quickly.

"Right. After Helena's third birthday, Courtney was determined to find a way to eternal life. She sent crews of explorers across the world, throughout Europe, to Asia cultures, to the New England colonies, and she payed them to look for whatever trace and legend of immortality there was, and then find whatever form immortality came in and bring it to her. Of course, all of these missions were kept secret from her husband." I nearly dropped my glass as the visions began suddenly. I should have been expecting but I wasn't. _Courtney spoke to a messenger who had come from one of the crews she's set out in northern Europe. They came back empty handed, she payed them what little she said she would for the expedition and awaited the next crew. A week later, from Asia Minor. Nothing, again. The next one from China, they found old legends of immortality surviving in dragon blood but such a beast did not exist any longer. She became more troubled as the failures began to add up. She crossed her thin arms across her lace-covered chest and sat down, pouting about her unhappiness when she lived such a grand life but didn't care for it if her beauty was fading. She was more maturely beautiful than the last vision, where she was barely seventeen. Now she was a fully grown adult and was at the peak of her bloom. Gorgeous blonde hair, defeated blue eyes, soft skin, rich structure..._ These were emotions not invoked from myself, but from the envisioned. I couldn't blame Luke for these thoughts, though. She was more beautiful than anyone I'd ever seen and the only person who did not see it was herself.

"But Stephan wasn't as blind to her obsession as she thought he was. He found out about her madness in finding the answer to eternal life, how she'd been using his money to send men to search for it. She had does these things right under her King's nose and when he found out he was furious. Partly because it was not what he had instructed her to do, partly because he had become a very greedy and deranged man since Courtney's handicap and wanted the immortality for himself. This quarrel went on and there were many nights where the King and Queen did not speak, and when they did, it ended in assaults on Stephan's part."

I couldn't contain myself with the thousands of questions that roamed through my head. "How do you know all this?"

"I was a castle guard at the time." he replied smoothly.

"What about those visions of Taylor and Rebecca, and Courtney before she was a vampire? You couldn't have been there to witness them all..."

"I can pull memories from other people's minds. I usually do when I meet a new vampire, or a human of interest." He looked directly at me and implied the second part.

I felt warmth on my cheeks and redirected the subject. "You've been a castle guard, a model... Not a smooth transition."

"I've had many occupations over the centuries. Modeling is just more recent. And it's not a career I can stay in very long, I do it more just to see how long I can fool humans and... free meals come with adoring fans just as they did with the drunks that wondered around the castles when I guarded them. I don't always have a career, though, just when I'm bored or want to earn the money without stealing. I have enough money to last me a few more decades without having any source of income."

I didn't know what to think when he said he took fans for food. It made sense, take that the world gives you for free, but his entire tone of speaking of taking life was just too free for a mortal of myself to understand. I had to remember he was a vampire older than four centuries and not just a man I was sitting on a beautiful terrace with. I thought about the income. "Me too, I think. I don't need a source of income for awhile." I leaned in so he could hear my whisper, though I knew he could without my gesture, "I checked my back account today and I have close to 150,000 dollars stashed away there, and that is without my family riches."

"That's from income since you lived in America?"

I felt enthralled when he seemed so interested. All along _I'd _been asking all of the questions; it felt strange to answer one. "That's income from since I took that job at the agency and saved every penny I didn't need to use. I can literally do anything I want now that I'm not tied down with a job." I smiled when thinking of the spectacular performance I pulled off in my boss' office today. Luke saw this and chuckled.

"You'd make one hell of an actress." he told me straightforward. I made a face of modesty and shook my head. "No, I'm serious. You easily fool others with your performance and your personality has many aspects to it that could allow you to express emotions freely and on cue..."

"You know all this because... you were an actor in the past?"

"Hollywood and Broadway are two very different places, I'll assure you." he replied.

"Okay, finish the story. I'm sorry I got us off track, again."

He smirked. "Of course, with the queen so desperate to find a way to immortality, vampires lurking near could not resist offering her what gift they had to give." His words paused as his icy eyes looked up at me. I didn't notice he was staring so intently at me until I exchanged the glance.

"The offer of immortality, turning her into a vampire?" He nodded.

More visions within the castle walls. _Courtney paced slowly outside on one of the balconies of the palace, it was very cold but she didn't seem to mind as she wanted to clear her head so she would not be troubled by her failure to find the answer to immortality, or by Stephan's latest beating. When thinking of him she became very angry, the sweet and beautiful woman from before had a darkness in her blue eyes that turned her into something not quite human. Suddenly a two figures appeared behind her in the shadows. "It's rather cold tonight, your majesty, wouldn't you like to go inside?" One asked. Male. The other was male as well. "Yes, your majesty, or are you waiting for someone?" Courtney seemed genuinely startled and she leaned against the balcony wall to brace herself. She was ready to call out for help in case these two where assassins or enemies of the royal family, but then they both stepped into the light, dressed in fine clothes and she knew immediately by their pale skin and handsome faces, they were immortal beings. The first one smirked as she realized this. "Would you like to become like us, your majesty? I hear you are looking for the fountain of youth..." The second one continued, "Yes, and we have exactly what you want..." She was interested, and she stepped forward. Suddenly a third figure appeared behind the two handsome men and she stopped. "Blaine, Keane... leave before I decide to tell The Grand Council that you are here." The voice, it was Luke's. The two vampires left in a scowl as Luke stepped forward. Icy blue eyes, short blond hair... He was just as evenly stunning dressed in the old fashions than the new. Courtney seemed confused, but she looked upon Luke and knew he too, held what she wanted. "So you can turn me immortal?" she asked sweetly and seductively, all in one tone. Luke was captivated._ And he had me captivated to a point I felt I needed him to continue.

He expression was almost grave now, but it was difficult to see clearly in the darkness. "I was the vampire to court her with the offer, telling her if she so desired, I could give her the gift of immortality. Vampirism would not give back fertility, however. But she would remain beautiful forever under the stars. I explained this to her and she understood." He paused again as the wind finally reached inside the glass ball and extinguished the candle. "Let's go in." Luke voiced a moment later. I abandoned the wine and stood to do so. I was too stunned at this point. Luke was implying that _he_...

Luke smiled softly and seated us both on the couch in the living room. "I wanted her as a companion and I knew I couldn't have her if she were a human." My breath felt nervous as he smiled at me and tilted his face closer to mine. "There's nothing worse in this world than to be alone for all of eternity. Even with a companion, most vampires go mad with the concept of living forever, never changing as the world around them. It sounds so tempting in the word 'immortality,' but by the time a few centuries have passed, one can see the curse in the blessing."

Again he paused, staring so intently at me. The silence was very awkward when the tale was just coming to the rising action; I had to make him go on. "So...You loved her?" My heart skipped a beat as I asked this.

His smirk did not falter but I saw a flicker of some unknown emotion in his eyes. "In a sense." he replied, lips falling to a frown. "I only judged my emotions on beauty, because she was so beautiful... and I thought I was." His face drew away from mine but his eyes held to my body.

The silence was deafening. He stared at me for such a long time, so strongly under the eyes I couldn't resist, and he took a piece of my hair and began to twirl the lock carefully in between his cold fingers.

"I mistook you for her the first time I saw you, the first time you saw me." he admitted to me, looking down at the tip of my hair.

Another deafening silence was slapped between us. I didn't know what to say or feel about that statement. Offended or flattered? She was beautiful, but she was a murderer, a monster.

His fingers ceased twirling my hair and he looked back into my eyes. "I changed Courtney into a vampire." I went completely still as he said this. I knew it was coming but... but... I blinked once and he went on. "She humored my lust for her and she took a liking to me for my "generous" offer, otherwise I was nothing to her. I staged her death and then she came away with me, but only three months after she'd come with me did Stephan court another woman in hopes he would have a son.

"Courtney could see her reflection for those three months, she frequently looked upon herself, but when she heard Stephan planned on wedding another woman, she became bitten with the jealously and malice that was already inside of her. It happened to be a full moon that night, that she went to the castle to take out her rage. I'm not sure exactly what caused it, possible mutation from the suns light reflected off the moon combined with the uncontrollable rage she'd built and twisted inside of herself and released on Stephan that night, but she transformed into a murderous wolf and Stephan and his betrothed were brutally killed. The guards managed to stab her a few times, but they did little damage compared to the blood I gave her and many of them died in her attempt to escape. Every day since that transformation, she could not see her reflection in any reflective surface, and whenever the moon is more full than a gibbous and shines upon her, she is forced to become the beast.

"She blamed Stephan in his death for this, and she cursed him for everything he'd done to her and how he hadn't even mourned for her when she 'died,' and declared herself as the curse on the Lockett family, that every generation's male would suffer only after leaving a child, so that her fury could continue for centuries, so that Stephan might reincarnate and she might have her revenge again and again."

I was still awestruck. So Courtney, in a sense, was like a werewolf, transforming only when the moon was mostly full. And Luke changed her into a vampire... All along I'd thought she was created by someone else and he just fell for her... "And their child, Helena?"

"Went on to marry Adrian Willows, he took her last name and they continued the line with the first royal son. Adrian died a year after their child was born by falling and breaking his neck while horse riding one day, or at least, that's how it looked."

That realization had only just set in. I thought perhaps Stephan went onto marry a different woman and our line was continued from that woman, not Courtney, like the legend I knew told. But no, if Luke was telling the truth, and there was not reason for him to not...

"S-so... I'm related to that... that monster?" I'm not sure what my facial expression was at this point, but I was feeling rather faint. One part of myself told me not to believe him, the more reasonable side said that there was no reason for him to lie.

He didn't respond directly to the comment, only leaned closer. "The Lockett family beauty comes from her." he whispered. Cold lips pressed against my forehead. I tightened my brows and jerked away.

"You made her what she was and for all of these years and you haven't taken responsibility for her?" Even more disbelief was in my voice. He didn't speak a word, only stood like a statue again while staring at me with his alluring eyes as I went on. Before, when I was angry when I figured he'd done nothing to stop her, I had forgiven that because I understood that she was not his responsibility. But now, that he'd admitted to creating her... That changed everything. It wasn't that he didn't need to stop her, he chose to let her kill and kill again. He and I and _Taylor_, for that matter, all knew he had the strength to put an end to her, and he knew where to find her since he'd made her and knew her better than anyone else... I understood now why Taylor disliked him so much. I understood exactly why Luke didn't help with the hunts for her death. I understood why Luke was the "Courtney expert."

I didn't want an answer from him. I was beyond anger, and hate, and revenge in this moment. I simply blinked at him with nothing, absolutely nothing in my eyes. We didn't want a recap of what happened last night. I recalled the white tulip and how Luke wanted forgiveness from me. He would have it, because I could not bring myself to actually loath him.

But he wasn't finished. "Go on." I audited to him.

His features were just as grave as mine, he swallowed an unneeded gulp. "After she killed Stephan and his betrothed, she had completely succumbed to insanity. She was uncontrollable, and believe me, I tried to control her in the beginning so that she would remain with me, but it couldn't be done and she got away from me time and time again. Taylor has never been able to catch her and I..." he paused. His eyes closed and fumbled his brows in frustration and set his head in his hands. "I couldn't destroy her every time I had the chance too. I never had a good enough reason to bring myself to destroy something so beautiful and powerful. Not until..." he paused again and looked to me. I was still looking at him with blank eyes.

He rose from his seat and knelled before me. His cold touches connected with my warm hands and I flinched, finally a motion coming to my face. "Allison." I blinked as I heard my name from him. I loved it when he said it, I didn't even know why...

But I wouldn't have it. He loved her, I was convinced of that. And he wanted to confess his mixed feelings for me? He couldn't have both, he knew that. I stood and held my head high, as if trying to remain dignified while I was being told such things. I had my back turned to Luke and tried to find reason in my hopeless thoughts. I didn't understand this man, and that made me so angry! One moment we were drinking in a happy harmony of a date and the next he confessed how he could not destroy an abomination because she had a pretty little face. What was I supposed to think?

I stood with my back to him in silence for several minutes. "Why? Why won't you help the other vampires bring her down?" I demanded quietly. His silence was what hurt me; he didn't have the decency to say one goddamn thing to me, not even a lie. I looked into his eyes for a truth, for some phrase of unspoken words but those icy blue miracles filled me with hurt as well. I knew exactly what he wanted to say. He still loved her and that's why he couldn't pull the trigger on her. I turned away and stumbled over to the fireplace so the flames would warm the cold that was stung into my heart.

I felt like a used fool. All of the desire he had me believe we had for each other. All of the stalking and the manipulation of events, protecting, breaking and entering he'd gone through and made it look all _so_ romantic... All of the kisses and the attraction, last night and the night before where we couldn't keep away from each other... It was all just a charade for him to get what he lusted after. Me, the physical incarnation of his failed love.

"Then what is _this_, Luke?" I turned around and made a motion to him across the room and then to myself. "Am I just the replacement for what went wrong with her?" I didn't want the answer, so I kept going. "You said it yourself, I am Courtney's spitting image, I hold her blood," Was I overreacting? I didn't think so. "But I am _not_ her."

He let out a very long, and very hostile sigh. Silence from him again! Did that mean everything I said was true?

"What you feel for me is just the echo of what you did for her."

"That isn't true." he muttered darkly.

I shook my head. "Yes! It is. The only difference you see between us is that I return the lust you feel, which is the _only_ reason you've wanted to keep me alive for this long."

I waited for a reaction, I received the explosion. "THAT IS NOT TRUE!" he shouted and came at me. The table separating us was flipped out of his way and I backed myself against the wall behind me. I gasped as he slid forward and set both of his palms on the wall on each side of my head and his body trapped mine. My hands clasped the material of his shirt in desperate fear. He was absolutely terrifying and I was breathing harshly as his cold breath washed over my forehead. "Don't you ever, _ever_ put words in my mouth." his tone was sharper and more intense than I'd ever heard him speak to me before; the burning in his eyes was so strong and I couldn't tell if it was loathing or fervor. I was shaking and my lips quivered when I mouthed an apology.

The seconds ticked by at an aching slow pace; my fear grew as I realized he could have killed me ten times over by now, a hundred times over in all of our meetings, including the first. It would have been child's play to knock me out of the sunlight and devour me in the shadows of his crypt room; but he hadn't. Then, as I realized he could have done so many horrible things to me by now but hadn't, my fear began to subside but not slowly enough. I was still trembling when his gaze softened and he drew his hand lovingly down my arm to my hand on his chest, which he tangled my fingers into his. I shivered under his touch and held my breath when his head dipped down to eye level. I turned my neck to the left to avoid his lips, but he just kissed the corner of my jaw and continued along that line and gently over my neck until I whimpered. Was he still angry and setting my nerves up, or was he trying to prove something...? I couldn't tell and I whimpered again. He withdrew his contact from my skin and locked his piercing eyes with mine.

"I was out of line-" I tried to say, but he quieted me by pressing his lips to the center of my forehead. My eyes fluttered shut and his grip tightened on my fingers.

"You are nothing like her, Allison. Absolutely nothing." he whispered.

"I shouldn't have said-"

"You're stronger in will than she ever could be. You were born to defeat her, to lead your country into a new shining age."

I shuttered with admiration and dread. Was he being true?

"When you showed me that Taylor had taken blood from you... I was overcome with anger, toward him. I didn't act on the anger and all I've wanted to do since then is comfort you, and ease you. If I ever let your blood spill again, by accident or more ignorant mistakes, it would stain my hands for the rest of eternity. And I don't know if I could deal with that."

And just like that, the mood had changed from disbelief to dangerous to passionate. I swallowed and opened my eyes again, and then I knew he wasn't just saying what I wanted to hear. He was telling me exactly what he felt and I could see the truth of it in his eyes. "But it's hard for me to comfort you if you hate me, Allison." My fear melted into a buttery flutter of affection and I shifted my fingers to mold more comfortably into his hand and I kissed his lips while my other hand touched his cheek fondly.

"I don't hate you." How could I? To hate him for _not_ taking responsibility would be silly and a resolution would never be reached. It was pointless to hate him for that reason alone.

Luke heard me and returned the kiss gently; his arm circled around my waist and his body totally pressed mine against the wall. A wave of nervous and eager pleasure was sent down my spine and I made a tiny sound. His touches were tender but protective, like he didn't want anything to happen to me but at the same time have me for all his own. He broke the kiss off and set his forehead against mine. His eyes penetrated my own as a small smile came to his lips. "Your eyes. I could never think of you as her because of the look in your eyes. You live for your people and the ones you care about, that deep blue is overflowing with love for them. She lived for herself, and died for herself. Her eyes reflected and still reflect death, even when she lived. And love is so much more beautiful and meaningful than death, Allison." I smiled as his lips reattached to mine with more force than before.

Well thought-out compliments didn't make me quite as bashful; actually, it more so turned me on. "I knew you would think that about me, that _this_ was just a replacement. I don't want you to ever think that again." His words were spaced between separation of lips, and it was a beautiful phrase for me to breath against. As my hand on his cheek crawled into his gorgeous hair and my head tilted upward to let his tongue caress in the inside of my mouth, I no longer believed that his feelings for me were just some hollow shadow of another woman.

God, I'd never wanted him more before than I did in these moments. It felt like this intimate interaction had been delayed each time we were together after the way Luke put himself on me at the "blind" date. Desiring a vampire was definitely a sin. A very delicious, dangerous, satisfying sin; and I was fine with that. What else did he need to prove to me? Nothing for the moment.

I could only concentrate on what his tongue was doing. After awhile a tugging came from my shoulder. I glanced at what it was; Luke was ripping my jacket from my body. _Finally, removal of clothes_, the desire-filled part of my mind thought. I quickly shrugged the article from my shoulders and his hands quickly darted up my shirt to hold my bare waist. My body shivered in delight at the cold touches; it was a shock like somebody setting a cold can of soda against your body; but my body responded in a sensual way. His mouth removed from my lips and allowed me breathe but didn't allow my nerves to settle as his teeth traced lightly down my neck. Would he take blood from me? The idea scared me just as much as excited me.

The puncture of flesh didn't happen however, not yet at least; I doubt it would after Taylor and the fear posed there. His hands slowly, so painfully slowly, drew my shirt over my head. And those lips never stopped taking over every bit of flesh from my neck, to collarbone, to breast through the lacy material he was trying to rip off of me to fully expose my torso to him. I was moaning with pleasure, impatience; my hands gripped and tugged and caressed his body as I tried to rip his own shirt off. _Yes,_ was the only word my mind could comprehend.

Until the reality of the world rushed back to me.

My cell phone loudly rang in my back pants pocket.

My first instinct was to answer the call, but Luke heard the ring and decided to grab my attention by doing something _else_. He gave up on ripping my bra off and knelled down on his knees in front of my sensitives; he grinned darkly up at me, and my heart skipped a beat as I understood what he was planning to do as he undid the button of my pants with his teeth. Where did he learn that trick? I should really answer that call!

My breath hitched as his cold hands tugged on my jeans and he only grinned wider as he saw the conflict of it in my eyes. _No,_ the desire of my mind ordered, _you've gone without sex for a _long_ time. Don't answer that call! _Luke's hands caressed along my thighs, drawing anticipating shivers from within me. _It might be important!_ The other side of my mind argued. Logically, only Lucy and Daniel had my number, and what both of them had to say for calling this late was important, whatever it was. I made a _very_ tough decision.

How insane was I to ignore passion for a phone call. _He's a vampire. He has time to kill,_ the logical side to me said as I pushed Luke's head down and pulled my pants up, before he had a chance to _distract_ me. I stepped over him and answered the call.

All of the yearning heat in my body died when I heard despair in the voice of Lucy speaking frantically into the phone.

_"Al-l-ly! Daniel said he would be at my apartment in ten minutes over an hour ago! I've called his phone, and all of the bars and work and everything, he won't answer and no one has seen him! I just wanted to check if he was with you."_ Her worry was overwhelming.

"Lucy! Calm down, I haven't seen him but I'll help you look for him." A groan from Lucas behind me, "Are you sure he's not just taking his sweet time to get over there?"

_"No. I was making him all hot over the phone and he hung up saying he'd be here in ten minutes from across town so we could-"_

"Too much." I cut in. "I understand, he _definitely_ would have been there by now... Meet me at my apartment and we'll see if he shows up somewhere."

_"Okay. Wait, you're not at home?"_

A small pause. I glanced at Luke; he was staring at my bra-and-half-ripped-pants anatomy. "I'm out right now. But I'll be back soon." Another groan from Luke.

_"Alright. I meet you there. I really hope nothing happened to him, what if something did? I have a bad feeling about this, Ally!"_ The worry wouldn't subside.

"Just, don't worry. Knowing him he's probably getting hit on by another gay guy or something weird." She laughed, just what I was going for to calm her down. "See you there. Bye."

Right as I turned around to grab my shirt and jacket, Luke blocked my path and I rammed right into him. He had every intention to stop me and take me anyway, damn some other less important mortals to him.

"This has to wait. I have to check on something." I told him firmly.

He didn't look satisfied. Hell, I wasn't either. But I had to prioritize. Daniel's whereabouts, if his girlfriend was worried sick, was more important than the best sex of all time with my own special person. Okay, not really, but, if Lucy had a hunch about something awful, I wasn't going to ignore it. I stepped around him and redressed before rushing out of the door.

"I'll come right back!" I promised when I glanced back and saw him in the doorway. He was aching for me, I could feel it when I looked at him and his masculine shirtless body, thanks to me. But I continued on, and it was probably one of the hardest things I'd ever done.

I was suddenly very angry with Daniel. If that idiot was doing something stupid, causing all of this worry for nothing... I called his phone just to see if he'd pick up. He didn't. I cursed and hurried to my apartment to see if he was there, since Lucy said he was no where else he usually was. And if he wasn't there, I was meeting Lucy so we could look for him.

Something I couldn't miss when I turned unto the street that my apartment faced: Daniel's red truck halfway on the sidewalk and the steel grill had demolished part of a bench from collision. I ran over to look inside; his keys were still in the ignition and the car was still in drive but the engine was shut off and he wasn't inside. Nobody else seemed to be interested in his car sitting there, and the hood above the engine was still warm so there was no way the ambulance and police would have come and went already if he had crashed. Had he run to my apartment to get my help? He could be up there now and I'm not there! I thought of all this as I ran up the flights of stairs to my floor. The first thing I noticed was blood on the handle of the barely open door.

My eyes widened and my face drained of all color. Lucy said she had a bad feeling, Lucy's hunches were always right. _Please, please don't let it be his blood..._ I thought over and over. It could just be he was bleeding on the hand when he entered my apartment to find me, but I locked the door, didn't I? The only person I knew who had broken into my apartment before was a vampire. I reached for the handle. Could the danger, if any, still be inside? Absolutely. I opened the door anyway.

I stepped inside, but I didn't have to look around to see the damage. It was right in front of my eyes, there was no way I could have missed it. Every paper I had taken time to stack neatly on my coffee table was thrown all over the room. All of the books from my bookshelf were torn to ribbons and joined the mess. Furniture was broken and all of the walls and papers were stained with blood. I saw the red message on the ceiling before I saw the body. His mangled body. "_Go home and die alone. Stay and die with your loved ones. This would have never happened if you didn't run. I will put an end to it with you and I will have my Vengeance_."

I covered my scream with my hand. My breaths hyperventilated as I looked upon the symbolism of Daniel's execution; he was literally crucified on the wall, nails and barb wire held his body in the symbol of the cross that the Christian messiah Jesus Christ was put to death on. Nails through the hands and feet; the barb wire was added and pierced every limb in the most painful sort of way, drawing blood that stained his tanned skin and chocolate hair. At the top the wire was crafted into a circle against his skull to represent the thorn crown upon Christ's head. Was bringing religion into this some sick joke to her? _I didn't even believe!_ Why was the symbolism affecting me so much? Blood ran from his temple and drizzled from his mouth over his chest, the shirt was ripped off and his torso was covered with fang marks that spelled that inevitable word, the word I'd come to despise but I was seeking for my own reasons. "Vengeance." I muttered shakily. And his eyes weren't even closed! They were wide with fear and reflected the endless dark horrors of the underworld. Death, death was a much simpler word.

My shock ended quick as I heard Lucy's voice behind me from the stairwell. "Ally! I saw his truck, is Danny okay?" Without thought I turned and ran and tackled the woman out of the doorway before she could see. She shouted and cried out in pain toward my actions when we collided with the floor near the stairs. She sat back up, holding her head. I grabbed her body and buried her face into my jacket. She couldn't see it, she wouldn't be able to handle it...

"Don't look." I whispered harshly through shaking teeth. She gasped and tried to fight me when she understood I meant something terrible had indeed befallen Daniel. She wanted to see what had happened, she wanted to see what had happened to Daniel...

"No! You can't see..." my voice died and I easily overpowered the girl's strength. Luke, the police, somebody help. Somebody... I wasn't going to move until someone came and took my angel Lucy away from that horrible phantasm. I needed to protect her from it; my grip tightened on her neck and arm the more she fought.

All of Lucy and Daniel's words they shared with me about each other the days before echoed through my head; he had loved her and I knew she had loved him. So there was no way I was going to let the horror of that scene haunt her like it would me. She stopped struggling against me and pleaded for me to let go of her, she was shaking with the desperate need. I refused and she began to cry. "Don't." I said again, but this time cradled her body.

The police and investigators arrived within the hour.

**A/N:** You fuckers better be crying right now! If one of you laugh, I swear... I worked very hard to make you readers fall in love, or at least LIKE Daniel to a point of being sad when I killed him. Review for Daniel!


	17. Chapter XV

**Note:** How did the term 'lemon' come forth as another word for a sex scene? Did some writer one day just look at a lemon and decide "This citrus fruit is the essence of sex in literature!"? I have to know!

If you haven't already gotten the hint, there's a sex scene in this chapter. (_You: "Finally, xxdarknessxfallsxx. You've had me reading 16 goddamn chapters for this, it better be good!"_)  
What? No lemons? There are most certainly not any lemons in this chapter, because vampires don't eat lemons, silly! If they did, well, vampires would be pretty sour. (-brick'd for lame pun-)

**Chapter 15 – Redemption**

Lucy and I sat against the wall in complete silence and stillness after I called in the murder. I wanted to say I was in shock, but that would have been an understatement. Luke arrived long before the investigators and police did, with a shirt on; he took one look at me and then the scene inside my apartment and went to "secure the perimeter" he called it. "I'll be right back. Halling is going to arrive here with the police. This is his jurisdiction and he will want to clean up as soon as possible, _let him do that_. But he understands if he touches you, I will rip his head off." Luke's abrasive tone again, warning me not to want to reveal vampire secrets or give Taylor a hard time getting rid of evidence. Putting details of Daniel's murder in the paper would do that. He was trying so hard to make me understand secrecy came first, even before his less-than-pleasant-relationship with Taylor.

Lucy, not understanding anything he said to me, simply waved at Luke with a certain awe on her face. She was proud of me for "hooking up" with him but at the moment she couldn't retain that signature sparkle in her eye. I didn't blame her. Luke disappeared to go check and make sure Courtney was gone right before the officers arrived. I didn't move from my place until Lucy was taken into safer arms than my own and was escorted home. I promised I'd meet her there once the investigators were done here. She could only nod her head.

Flashing lights on cop cars were on the street below. Other residents in the apartment complex were poking their heads out to see what was happening. Officers and the crime scene investigators were running in and out of the scene and the stairwell. I stood outside in the hallway as a few of them questioned me, since I called it in. I had to answer the questions carefully, I was a suspect but I was innocent with an alibi and no motive, since Daniel was my friend. They'd leave me alone once I talked to them and they'd leave Lucy alone once they talked to her. And I knew the human police would not be able to do anything about Courtney, so I didn't mention her at all when they asked why the threat was directed towards me, since the kill was in my apartment and I obviously didn't do it.

"I haven't been here since last night, I packed a few of my things and went to stay with a friend. ... Why? Because the friend is my boyfriend and he wanted me to move in with him. ... I haven't seen Daniel since earlier, or yesterday I suppose since it's close to one, about midday and then I went shopping, then returned straight to my boyfriend's house. ... My boyfriend? He should be on his way since I left him at his home while my friend and I, the one you escorted home, were looking for Daniel. I saw his truck in front of my apartment and came up here to check and, well..." My tone was dead, I made my appearance of shock evident. Once they ran out of questions or decided I wasn't guilty, they left me alone to watch. No press had arrived, I wondered why that was for a moment, but then I knew when I saw _him_ stroll up with the best poker face the world had ever seen, that he was the one keeping this as quiet as possible.

Black hair was slicked back against his head _as usual_, the suit was a coal and gray color to match his eyes. "Good morning, Taylor Halling." I said to him in a dignified voice, still detached, as he approached the head of police. He looked to me with eyes that said he did not know me and a face that was serious and stone.

"Good morning, madam. I am sorry for the tragedy that has befallen you. I will speak with you, if you wish, in just one moment." he said formally then turned back to the head of police. That man quickly explained the situation and Taylor nodded. "I'll see what I can do. This serial killer is still at large after ten years, keep this quiet just like the last one. I will take care of the paperwork."

A bitterness flared in my eyes as he said this to the man and then turned to me as the man walked away. I thought about the last body Taylor had found, Felicia, and how he had gotten rid of every shard of evidence. Then my mother's case, where human police were involved but the investigation had been closed and forgotten too quick. I had no doubt Taylor would treat this body the same, and whatever case these human investigators had forming, he could make that all go away in order to keep the secret of the vampires safe. But there was just one thing I had to say to him, because he could close the case and throw the file in a box never to be seen again, and he could keep the whole press out of the entire murder because I knew what had truly happened and Lucy would know in due time, but he could _not_ take my friend away from me. "I want his body." I said to Taylor. And I looked into those cold coal eyes and I gave it my best to show him I was not screwing around.

His face did not hold that eerie pleasant mask it normally did, where his lips just slightly curved upwards and his eyes reflected amusement. No, he was Inspector Halling for right now. I'd seen his stone face in the visions and I knew he meant business as well. "I'm surprised with you, Allison. You seem so calm considering one of your good friends was just mutilated in your own apartment." His tone was just as detached as mine.

"You shut up, you son of a bitch." My voice was sharp now. I grabbed the collar of his trench coat as a rage swept through me. He hardly moved when I jerked. "Don't ignore my earlier comment. I want Daniel Peterson's body in a closed coffin when I make the funeral arrangements. I will not have his existence wiped off the face of this earth by the likes of you and your precious Council. Lucas will support me in that gesture and protect me from any other motives you had planned for me."

I thought that he was stunned by the way his eyes held completely still inside his head, but he shifted and hit my hand away. "Lucas made that apparent to me just a moment ago... Something about "ripping my head off" if I touched you." He seemed oddly calm about that. Taylor looked toward my apartment, scented the air, then did the same towards me. I knew what he saw in his head; that Courtney was responsible for the murder and everything that had happened between Luke and I before this. I oddly was not embarrassed to know he had seen Luke and I's passionate moment, and he did not seemed phased either.

"The possession of the body goes to crime lab, and after that, to immediate family." He said now.

I almost growled. My eyes still bore into him, my voice still very intense. "He has no family and I know you're going to close the case as soon as you possibly can..." I took a moment to take in a deep breath to calm my anger, and then speak to Taylor in a more persuasive manner. "Look, Taylor. I know you have the power to make this happen. Grant me the rights of burying my friend's body and I will be willing to put everything keeping us having some sort of alliance behind us."

He blinked and his coal eyes highlighted with a certain laughter, but his expression did not change. "What makes you believe I still want any sort of alliance?"

"I am a very wealthy and influential person Taylor, like yourself, and I want Courtney dead just as much as you do. The difference between us is I have Luke on my side." And a number of other things...but they did not matter right now. "And he is the key to Courtney's demise."

"A very good point." he replied as he watched the coroner walk into my apartment to examine the damage. An awfully pale coroner... "Alright. I allowed you to keep your mother's body, I'll allow you to bury your friend. You have a deal." he said wistfully.

I wanted to smile, but I couldn't manage it. I felt too anguished, too morbid. I would do this for Lucy, for the rights to bury our friend. He stretched out his pale hand, I studied his serious face before I shook it. His grip was hard, firm, cold. I gripped back and still, my hand was sore when I let go and he walked into my apartment to do his job.

I felt this would be a new beginning of something bigger than my current situation. It was an odd, profound feeling, like one day I would look back on this moment and know that by making amends with a fiend, I was helping a greater current of some larger event.

But then I recalled my situation, and the grief-stricken part of me returned. I turned my body toward the stairs and I nearly ran into his wonderful pale chest again, a man with blond hair and stunning blue eyes. I set my head against his stone sternum and his arms encased around me. "I circled the block twice. She's long gone." he whispered to me. I only nodded.

Someone walked up to question him, he said something in reply and then mentioned he was taking me away now. "To Lucy's, to Lucy's..." I said a few times. He whispered acknowledgment to me but took me to the mansion.

"I can guess you'll be staying at..." he paused.

"Lucy's." I added. How many times have I said her name to him?

"Lucy's for a couple nights. Get your things and I'll escort you."

I did this in a quiet and detached manner and we were on our way. "Yes, I'm fine." I said before Luke could open his mouth to ask. He just had that genuine little sparkle of worry in his eye, but also a heavy expression.

This was different than the drive-in movie experience, where I saw carnage and the monstrous side of Luke and had fear stricken into my body. This was a pure shock to seeing someone I cared about after the carnage. It was as if my mind had taken a permanent picture because I couldn't get the image out of my head. My brain felt as if it were about to shut down from the entire event...

I groaned and set my head in my hands as we walked up to Lucy's floor and arrived in front of her apartment door. It was late... sleep was needed. I had to comfort my angel, eventually tell her who was responsible when the time was right and I knew she wouldn't go insane and try to get the information to the public; then if Taylor didn't go back on his word, which I had a feeling he wouldn't though he had every reason too, there had to be funeral arrangements. I felt sicker and more exhausted the more I thought about what's next to come. I hadn't even began to think about the _why_ and the _who_. But I was reminded of those things when I looked up to Luke and the way he head hung just slightly. He knew, in a way, this was his fault. The unbearable silence still passed between us as we stood outside Lucy's door had to be broken. We couldn't part like this.

"I made a deal with Taylor... again. I thought I'd let you know before I did anything else, and so it doesn't end up like the last time..." my voice trailed, Luke looked at me expectantly but not particularly surprised.

"I knew you would." I replied gently. I almost felt offended. He saw the deal in his head as I replayed the event in mine.

"Are you going to help me find and destroy Courtney?" I asked rather desperately.

He was quiet. And then he reached over and knocked on Lucy's door. She opened it quickly and her interruption allowed him to get away without an answer. I was angry he left without a clear answer, but that disappeared when Lucy wrapped her arms around me and began to sob into my shoulder. I eased her and we walked inside her apartment.

She still wanted me to tell her what had happened, I was reluctant to answer and told her it was late, she needed rest. She passed out in her room easily enough. It had been a long night.

* * *

Two days passed. I was still in shock.

In that time, I had not seen or heard from Luke. I had barely left Lucy alone in that time as well, just to go get things she wanted from the store or to get myself something. She called into work a requested a week off. She told them there was a death in the family because I explained to her not to explain to anyone else what had happened because police don't know for sure yet. She had so many questions, and I know she knew I knew something, and she wanted to ask the police what they had figured out, but she kept it to herself and relieved her stress in tears and working out at the gym in her apartment building, so then I wouldn't have to worry about her bottling in her emotions and doing something stupid, like I did. But she was glad to have me there, not angry with me I wouldn't tell her what I knew. And for that forgiveness I thanked her.

But two days of stillness left me a lot of time to think. I still hadn't shed a tear, and that wasn't as odd as it sounds for me because I didn't even cry when my own mother died, I had gotten angry instead. And right now, anger was building. The first person I had to blame was Courtney V. That beautiful devil, menace, murderer. Apparently she wanted me to return to my kingdom so she could kill me. Wonderful thought to go to sleep on each night.

Next, after my anger for Courtney subsided because I couldn't do a thing about her right now, I thought of Luke. And no matter how divine he was in my mind, he was still responsible to an extent. If he would have controlled Courtney so long ago! My mother and Daniel and Felicia... would they all still be breathing today?

This was his fault and I was _kissing_ him while Daniel was getting his life painfully ripped away from him! That thought made me feel just as guilty.

Lucy was absent from her apartment when I thought of this and I accidentally broke a bowl when I slammed my fist down on the table and had forgotten the bowl was there. The pain temporarily relieved the rage threatening inside of me. I sighed as I looked over my bleeding hand and went to grab a towel. I was inconceivably in a torn position. The man I felt so strongly for was the cause of my sorrow and anger. How did I ever end up feeling so strongly for him? I still did, even now... Even when I wanted to blame him and hate him, I still felt for him. It was an odd and confusing feeling that made it hard for me to breath. I took deep, even breaths as I glanced at myself in Lucy's mirror and held my bleeding hand. Dark circles had formed under my eyes from irregular sleep patterns, I had lost a tiny bit of weight from the stress, my hair was only half brushed since neat hair was not at the top of my list. I wrapped a towel around my hand and went to clean up the mess I'd made.

And since it was right after sunset, he appeared. I knew because I heard his unmistakable and slightly humorous sneeze from behind me when I walked back into the kitchen to clean the shattered bowl. Lucy always liked her drapes open to let in the heavenly light during the day... I turned slowly and set my eyes upon him. How could I stay angry with something like that?

Tall blond and handsome. And guilty, he had that feature weighing down on him like heavy cargo. He held a piece of paper in his hands. "The rights to organizing the funeral with your friend's body."

I laughed on the inside, a very bitter, stinging sort of laugh. Leave it to Taylor to deliver the rights with the guilty man. I took the papers and muttered a "Thank you." Luke's concerned eyes wrapped over my appearance and the wound of my hand. The blood probably enticed him, I wonder if it still would if he knew I'd made the wound from thinking horrible thoughts of him.

And the rest was silence. I held the towel over my hand as I cleaned up the pieces of the bowl on the floor. Luke hadn't moved from his place when I was finished.

"Say what you need to, Allison. It doesn't do us both any good to hold it in."

I was speechless when he said this. So, it was obvious I had several thoughts on the mind of him. "I could say the same for you, Luke. It seems to me like you're very indecisive. And a man who doesn't know what he wants isn't a man at all." My words were just a hint too venomous. I turned toward him after I'd said this.

Silence from him, the same heavy expression on his pale face. I glanced at my hand and saw it had stopped bleeding inside the towel. I clenched it into a fist as the anger in me grew again. He wanted me to say everything I needed to? "Taylor, a few days ago, was talking about how you wouldn't help them locate Courtney and how you wouldn't help him destroy her even if she did turn up." My tone was sharp, the calm act I had going was lost. "But guess what? She's done more than enough damage than any one person should have to suffer and for what! So you can play innocent, watching your pretty little creation go out and kill like no one has ever killed before?" My foot stomped on the floor, I was shouting. "She's killed my family, mother, my friend! ...She's taken almost everything from me and what do you still do! You stand there acting like absolutely nothing is wrong in your perfect world. You're so blinded by obsession with the Lockett family 'beauty' that you can't even stop your own fledgling when you know perfectly well you have the strength to! She's playing with you, Luke. Playing with your emotions. You know she is!" My voice was growing louder and louder into a yell, until finally I broke off and began the last part in a whisper. "I am the last Lockett heir alive and Courtney plans on killing me too so she can end the bloodline forever, because she's just as obsessed with Lockett beauty as you are." My cheeks were red and I tried to control my anger. My body shook as I turned away from his, unable to look at him.

Why? Why was I still not able to hate him? I should loath him for what he's done and hasn't done. Even still, as I am standing nearly in tears before him, he does nothing to stop the tragedy around us and for that I should be full of hate! But the anger died with my voice as he spoke to me in a defeated tone. It was heartbreaking.

"Do you need anything, from your apartment? I'll be able to get around the protection on the crime scene."

"Yes," I replied just as inanimately. "There is a box, underneath my bed. It has everything I need in it. That is all."

There was a long pause between us. Uncomfortable, and expected. I thought he had left, and I did not care to look behind me to check. But I heard his voice again, and even though I felt I should loath him, I took some small and desperate comfort in that luxurious voice.

"I know she has caused you hardship," I almost laughed. He had that damn right. "And I know you want her dead. One reason I never helped Taylor hunt her is the same reason I'm reluctant to assist you. You both want her dead for your own personal vengeances, and that makes you no better than she."

"Don't you dare, _dare_ even compare me to her." I shot to him with pure ice on my voice. I turned to let him feel the sharpness in my eyes. His silence was resolute. "Get out." I whispered now.

He had gone, the thickness of the air in the room had changed drastically when he had left. I didn't understand anything, nothing made sense any more... It was hard to breath again... I sank to the ground and still, the tears did not come. I slammed my injured fist to the floor again and screamed.

* * *

Six days passed.

The funeral I took the responsibility of arranging had come. Daniel was raised a Catholic as I was, so it was only appropriate to honor his death in the nicest Roman Catholic Church in the city. Lucy took a tiny bit of comfort in picking out my black outfit for the event; a lovely black dress that hung on my shoulders and reached my knees; and my hair held up with a black-jeweled tiara. My attempt at a laugh when she did this was rather pathetic.

The time the service was being held was purposely before sunset. I didn't want Luke there, call me despicable. Lucy looked okay as we stepped out of the cab before the church, but I knew looks were very deceiving. We spoke and shook hands with the priest, Lucy and I and another good friend of Daniel's (from the bars) had agreed to speak in front of the crowd in tribute.

I counted the guests. Fifty-seven of Daniel's friends, acquaintances, bar buddies, co workers, friends of friends and family of friends. Daniel had no blood-related family left, he had no siblings and his parents died years ago, which was why he came to America from Great Britain.

The ceremony began and it was not as difficult to stand in front of the crowd as it was to glance up at the crosses hanging on the walls. Catholic churches didn't exactly censor the crucifixion of Christ; very detailed iron sculptures of Jesus on the cross were everywhere, including the large one at the front behind the coffin. All of them caught my eye and the image of Daniel and his own execution wouldn't get out of my mind as I tried to think of what to say. So was this Courtney's intention by killing Daniel the way she did, to forever haunt me when I looked upon the cross? As I stood in front of these mournful people at the stand, my vocal chords wouldn't created sound.

I stood speechless for several seconds, the crowd anticipating my benediction, but suddenly I couldn't focus. The shock of his death had finally passed, now came the sorrow.

Lucy saw as this realization as I bowed my head and couldn't speak. She came to my side and began to talk for the both of us. I was in a daze as I heard her voice and felt her arm around me. What felt like forever was only a couple minutes and I was sitting next to her in our seat after she was finished. Daniel's bar buddy was the final person to speak before the priest concluded the event and everyone was allowed to exit by the coffin and pay their respects with a flower or gift.

Why did people come to these morbid events? A funeral was simply a place to be in the midst of the dead and cry and you _know_ you are going to feel lousy during that hour, why come at all? Lucy and I stayed inside of the church long after every other person left, the sun had set outside and candles gave the room a dim light. I held my forehead on her thin shoulder for awhile but then it was her turn to succumb and I straightened myself. Tears still had not come, but I felt that foreign knotted feeling in my throat, I knew it was coming...

His goofy smile, his annoying comments, the way he threw his British dialect into the most American of conversations, the way he ran his fingers threw that curly chocolate hair in hopes of straightening it, but it never would stay... Every little action and word I had taken for granted now meant the world to me. I watched Lucy holding her head in her hands, oceanic eyes unable to stop her tears from flowing. At last, _at long last_, I felt a burning tear run down my own cheek and I pulled the petite woman into my chest and let her continue her sobbing.

"I always thought... After my mother had been taken from me... That there was nothing else to lose." I whispered in her ear, biting back the burning in my throat. I was barely able to get the last part out. "But I was wrong. I had you and Danny... And now I just have you, Lucy."

The blonde didn't look up, only buried her head further into my stomach and continued to sob.

It was the first tear shed in... too many years. The one force humans held that triggered emotional tears like no other animal had finally broken inside of me. A hot feeling rose in my cheeks and my vision was blurred with hot tears that began flowing down my face. I choked when trying not to let out a noise, I managed silence as the pressure valve of sorrow opened and flowed out like a river through a broken dam. I could no longer mask the pain with other feelings as I'd done in the past, I could no longer convince myself to stay strong for the others around me. Lucy noticed and her desperately tight grip loosened and she wiped her wet cheeks with her sleeve.

"Need to be alone." she said. I knew she meant for her, and myself. How pathetic would it look for two beauties to be crying in the corner of the room? It didn't matter anyway. I half smiled at her and she attempted to do the same before walking away in tears. The priest was at the entrance to show her out safely, so I hardly had to worry about anything else than my own tears that were slowly sliding down my face in intervals, and the vampire who'd just walked next to my side.

A cold hand rested on my shoulder and immediately I grabbed for it and entwined the fingers. He said nothing but I recognized the touch.

"Luke." I breathed in a shallow whisper.

He acknowledged my suffering by bending down on one knee. I didn't mean too, but I automatically looked to his face although mine was red and puffy. Although he was expressionless and stone, his eyes pleaded and swirled for forgiveness. After all, this was indeed his fault. If he would have contained his fledgling... No, I thought. It didn't matter right now. This wasn't a time to point fingers.

His other hand touched my knee and I melted onto the floor and into his body. I buried my wet face into his chest and sobbed, and sobbed and sobbed. I didn't care if anyone saw me.

Luke picked me up and carried me away from the church. I wasn't sure where he was taking me but when I looked up with my blurry tear-filled vision he was walking up the staircase of his mansion, and I didn't oblige one bit.

The tears flowed and wouldn't stop. I cried like I had never cried before. My breaths and sobs changed speed and sound as I thought about different things, everything over the past three years that I should have cried over but had too much pride and anger to let a sorrow deliver my heart an emotional release. My mother and Daniel were brutally murdered and I knew who the killer was, Luke holding me close had created this killer and done nothing to stop her. Yet I couldn't be angry during this time; I couldn't hate him for what he did, and right now I didn't have the will to seek revenge on her. The murderer had struck a blow at me I couldn't fight back against; she targeted friends and family and there was nothing I could do except succumb unless I simply didn't give a damn about my friends or family. But I do give a damn, because I did have a heart filled with humanity although I've acted like I hadn't for so long.

I believe Luke and I were lounging in one of the many bedrooms of his mansion on a bed with black satin sheets and comforting pillows. I shifted around on it but ended up still buried into his chest. His hand stroked my hair and I held my face where he couldn't see my tears. The cold and stillness of his chest was so calming... But I had to let out what I'd bottled in.

I cried because for the passed three years I've wasted my life in the shadows of greatness; working as a small-model photographer when I could have been the manager of the entire section. I spent my days with no healthy hobbies and I had documented vampire activity and information that was so useless to my current situation I felt utterly ridiculous for taking that time away from my precious years. I lived in America in a tiny little apartment when I could have been back at my home, leading my country like I was born to do. I cried now as I remembered my people, the hundreds of faces I'd met and had to remember and I hadn't forgotten over the years; I had let them down for not returning the moment the run-away queen had died.

I even cried for Lucy, who I knew was probably holding her head in a pillow and sobbing in a more dignifying way than I was now, but still just as saddened by Daniel's death as I was.

And the vampire Lucas could see all of these things as I pictured them in my head and tears corresponded. After several minutes my sobs were quieted but the tears still rolled over my flushed cheeks like a broken dam, unable to stop the natural flow. It was then that Luke's perfect and cool lips soothed my hot face with cool kisses all over. He dried my tears after he'd given me comfort enough for them to stop, and finally when I wasn't crying, I reached out for his neck and I kissed him.

It lingered for several moments where Luke did not return the kiss right away, I pulled him down with me into the pillows and it was then he knew I was ready. The kiss grew quickly, hungrily as the sorrow in me was replaced with passion from him. Fisting my fingers in his hair, he pressed me into the dark sheets and pillows to a point I felt I was falling, or floating on that comfort. I moaned into his mouth when his hands caressed the sensitive curves of my body and he molded between my parted legs so perfectly. The kiss deepened and his contact became rougher; he drew more sounds from me and my grip tightened. After I broke off from his lips for a mortal breath, the black dress I was wearing was lifted over my head and discarded on the floor, as was the rest of the black undergarments clothing my creamy skin.

His mouth reattached to my body right under my ear, then scooped under my jawline, and from there I tilted my neck upward with a soft sigh so he could do what he pleased. I might have been shaking with a building fear and eagerness, I felt my breath heighten as he found my pulse on my neck and pressed his tongue to the skin above it; I gasped and he removed his lips then removed his own clothing before I could, leaving nothing to separate us. I gazed upon him with glistening eyes as he returned over me, and it was as if the angel's themselves had carved his body from the purest stone the paradise could supply. This time he whispered relax to me in a gentle tone while caressing me, then he moved his hands along every curve not yet touched by immortal hands. I obeyed his command when he licked and kissed along the line to my collarbone and nibbled there until I made those wonderful soft moans for him again.

Race, life and death did not matter. Nothing outside of the room mattered except that my body was molding against his and his cold touches lit a trail of hot-blooded excitement in me that I'd never felt so strongly before. It didn't matter in the least he was a vampire and I a human; that barrier was broken as his fangs ran sweetly over my throat and he kissed along every vein in my neck. No inch of skin was left untouched by those lips during the night. His fingers had trailed down to the warmth that was building within me; I wondered momentarily what difference it would make between body temperatures, would I want to warm his cold body just as much as he wanted to steal that heat? The answer was realized as those fingers performed in ways that left me screaming for him and the ecstasy he could create.

Love. Lust. Desire. These are all concepts humans can never hope to fully and truly understand though it is through us these feelings arise. We can call shallow passages of desire love; it ends up fading with the sands of time, and then try and and justify love in a temporary lust that passes as the wind blows. Perhaps the truth is that love does not exist at all, and it is only a make-believe concept created by humans to make humans think that there is indeed a higher good in the universe; that we all are not just animals with animalistic wants and needs. Even myself, laying in the midst of a lover who ignited a passion between us that I feared would swallow me in the fire as his lips consumed my own, I did not understand the feelings being invoked within myself towards him. All I knew was that he was real, and receiving me, and the sensual waves coursing from my body were not a shallow imitation of anything, they were also very real.

His fingers stroked my inner cavern and as soon as he pressed against the spot that brought me to the equivalent of salvation, I cried his name in a blissful tone. His fingers withdrew and I arched into him completely. Please, I pleaded in uneven breaths, please stop this teasing and take me.

His head raised, and he embraced me and watched me as I breathed heavily with so much anticipation, I felt like the swelling in my chest would burst at any sudden movement. "I could kill you. Lose control and take your blood, crush your body in my maddened frenzy." he told me truthfully, completely uncensored.

I don't care, I answered, bowing my head into his pale chest and crying again. I shook against his cold but soft touches of fingertips down my spine. Hot tears collided with his ivory skin from my eyes as I repeated the phrase and pleaded for him again. "It doesn't matter." I sobbed. I needed this, I wanted this. He brought my body up to kiss away those smoldering diamonds until my cheeks were flushed with the mixture of warm tears and cold lips. The tears ceased to flow as he told me to stop and open my eyes.

My vision was blurry as my sapphire eyes opened widely. I blinked away the final tear and for the first time I saw a want in his eyes that wasn't for my blood. He wanted me, as a person, as a fellow body for a lover. I must have seemed so desperate, so needing after the recent events. But he reassured me, as if reading my mind, that this was nothing close to just pitying my human desires.

"I've always wanted you." he whispered, kissing my hair, then the center of my forehead. I let out a mixture of a moan and gasp as he kissed my cheek, then skipped my parted lips and teased my jawline with his teeth. "It was hard not to just take you in the moment I realized who you really were."

I called out his name, Luke, while running my hand through his yellow hair. I thought of him since the beginning, I had always secretly wanted this since the first time he arose from his tomb and lay angry eyes on me, mistaking me for Courtney. I thought of the dreams where he had taken what he wanted from me and the dreams where we kissed passionately and were together. I knew that the emotions evoked in those dreams I had tried to blame as his alone but they were mine too, always had been, and were now.

He made those dreams a reality as his cold lips crashed over mine and he delivered me into a passion that would never be equaled by any other lover.

That salvation of passion was reached _several_ times throughout the rest of the night.

* * *

Sometime near dawn, the cool body laying next to me removed itself. I groaned at the movement and grabbed for him to come back. My fingers clasped his wrist and he stopped and crawled back over me. "Stay with me..." I whispered sleepily.

He laughed and kissed my forehead. "I would love too. If you don't mind having a pile of ashes for a lover."

I set my fingers in his hair and laughed too, then sighed at the final word. "Lover." I repeated. A silence passed between us where he deeply kissed my sleeping lips.

"I'll see you tonight. Don't disturb the tomb while I sleep; I'll be... cranky since I haven't fed tonight."

"Alright." I said dreamily, half awake, half in a fantasy land with my naked body wrapped in the dark satin sheets.

* * *

Several hours later I awoke completely.

The soreness of my body, the cold air giving my creamy skin goosebumps, the nudity I was left in. The fact that Luke was responsible for a killer who had murdered my friend, and I knew who this murderer was, and I had just slept with the creator of that murderer...

None of that mattered right now.

I stood and didn't bother to cloth myself. I made my way to the window and opened the black drapes to let the morning sunlight wash over me. It was refreshing, redeeming, pleasant. My breaths were fuller, easier to take, my mind felt a little more at ease than the past week. I could see myself in the window pane, I looked better too considering I'd just arisen.

I felt different, better, but that didn't change the fact I felt sorrow for Daniel's death. But I couldn't get angry and stressed and become blind worrying about the why and how and who could have changed the outcome, like I had, because no one can change a damn thing about what's already happened. What's done is done. And we continue on, either getting back into the current of the world or falling through it.

I thought about this and held my head. Perhaps if I'd realized that back when my mother had died, I would have returned to my country and try to battle out the curse, whatever form it came in. I raised my head and looked out of the window. The clouds in the early sky were illuminated with the beautiful light which fell through holes in the vapor like a spotlight unto earth. It was marvelous; I sighed.

Perhaps it was time I got back into the current of the world. After my mother died, I had never really been exactly myself. I had created a new character in Ally Lovett that was reserved, modest, following... Nothing like the ambitious, social, daring leader, Allison Lockett, I was born and raised to be. I wiped another tear that had suddenly formed in the corner of my eye. Three years since I had released all of that sorrow, three! And as I dried the tear and looked at the bed of which I made love in, I felt alive again. I felt like myself again! A silly grin came to my face and the more happy sort of tears rose in my eyes. I thanked Danny, where ever he was. He saved me.

I was back, Allison Lockett. And I wanted to break the Lockett curse and go home.

I found some fresh clothes and stationary and cleaned up before writing a note to Luke.

"_Dearest Lucas,_

_We leave the night after tomorrow for home.  
Lucy is coming with us, and she'll know everything  
by the time you read this, so you can't refuse her.  
I need to know if you're on my side  
or on the sidelines, watching as you always have.  
Answer carefully._

_Love,  
Allison"_

I didn't mean to make the note so blunt with an ultimatum, but Luke had to decide on what he wanted because it seemed that he didn't quite know. To be with me or to watch me die? For centuries he'd watched his creation raise hell, break the vampire laws, murder my family and he'd done nothing about it. If he wasn't on my side, Courtney was sure to kill me without hesitation. And if he wasn't with me, I would have to turn to the other vampires for their help, but they were sure to kill me once this was all over. Whatever option, Luke was my ticket to life. But I didn't want him by my side just because of that; our relationship was not defined by the others around us, but it could be.

I just had one final goal before everything in my life could calm from this chaos she caused.

I had to break the Lockett curse. I owed it to the Lockett generations to come. And now that I knew what the curse was, that goal translated as putting an end to Courtney's life.

**A/N: **I know! I totally wimped out on the intercourse. Damn me. Suck it up and review.

And as much as I love you, my readers and reviewers, (you've almost gotten me 80 reviews! I am so stoked. But aside from that-) what the hell is wrong with you lot? Honestly, in the last chapter's reviews, I was called a murderer, I was called a sadist, I was called a meanie and someone even said they hated me. (It's not like _I _stuck the barb wire into his skull.) But then right after calling me those things, you turn around and beg me to update. How did you think that worked?  
I'm really surprised because even though the lot of you saw it coming, I never expected this powerful of a response. So. Yay me. I should kill people more often.


	18. Chapter XVI

**Huge Note:** So I have avoided giving names of cities and countries so far in the story in fear I would do the research on that city or country and try to emulate my character into that setting, and horribly mess up because I've never been to those paces. Brunette said this was New York City, I couldn't agree more (since that's where I pictures Allison) but I'd never written the name down in the chapters. And finally, finally, Allison's home country has a name. I was looking on the map of Europe to see which country I could take over and change into a monarchy and I found the tiny principality called "Andorra." (It's tiny. Look between Spain and France) But I thought, that's no good, what if the people of Andorra don't appreciate that I change their entire society for the sake of my novel? It's a principality. France and Spain control it, and I don't want France or Spain to control my countries. (No offense, but I like you right where you are.) So I pulled a Princess Diaries, I made up my own country. Taking over the space where Andorra sat (sorry tiny country, I'll rewrite you instead of changing you) and basically resting in a big chunk of the Pyrenees Mountains, it's called "Aldorra" (so original, eh?) And information about it shall follow in the next few chapters.

Have to laugh when I imagine how jazzed the entire town of Forks was when they found out a bestselling author used their town in her teen novel. I know I'd be excited if my home town was used in a book. Hell, I'm from Texas and I was super excited when I read that Jasper came from Texas. I was all, "THAT'S MY STATE heehee."

SoldierDudette, I never post the next chapter until you and Brunette review because the both of you tell it like it is and it's usually exactly what I need to hear and in turn, make the story better. You, my dear, are absolutely right when you say that right now would be the best time to have Luke's pov, and I am so reluctant to make it happen but after you pointed it out I fully agreed. Damn, I love to hate you, _cheri_. You shall have your wish and if it's weak, it's your fault. Fair enough?

Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 16 – Epiphany**

.x. Allison

I had a busy day ahead of me. And although my walk had a slight limp and I had to wear clothing to cover all evidence of intercourse on myself (I was surprised with his complete control over his vampire desires, not one puncture wound was on me... Not that there weren't other marks...), I made the decision to thank everyone who had helped me during my stay here in America, then I was off to Lucy's to convince her to leave with me. A trip away from the city she, Danny and I had so many memories in, for a secluded valley nation within the Pyrenees mountains, would do both of us some good.

First, to the office of a man I had spilled coffee on the floor of, even though it wasn't entirely my fault because I was kidnapped. My favorite article writer, Tom.

"Lovett! My secretary told me you came in again the other day. I must have just missed you." Thomas greeted me as I came to the doorway in his office. He didn't seem to be too busy... Better make this quick anyway.

"Yeah, I had to run."

"Fast enough to drop the coffee you had for me?" He pointed to the discolored area of the floor I was standing on. I scratched the back of my head. At least I had a new cup of coffee in my hand for him now to make up for it.

"Sorry about that. I just wanted to say thank you for everything you've done for me and all the help you've given me with keeping me updated with the city's latest over the years." I told him as I sat opposite of his desk. It was tiring to stand.

"Of course." he replied in his chair. "Did you come all the way here just to tell me that?" he asked, a little surprised. I bobbed my head side to side.

"More or less. I'm leaving in the next couple days, so I also wanted to say goodbye."

"Leaving?"

"Out of country. Got a job offer elsewhere, in Europe. In between France and Spain."

"Sounds like good pay. I'm sorry to see you go, though! You've given me such good material for stories when I needed something." We both arose and embraced. "Good luck in Europe."

"Thank you. As a parting gift, I leave you coffee in a cup instead of on the floor, and one final story." I told him. He looked avidly interested and returned to his side of the desk.

I simply set the cup of coffee before him and turned to leave. He was stricken, pondering what tip I had for him and stood again to stop me from leaving without telling him. I pointed to the coffee and waved good-bye with a nice smile on my lips.

"_Keep in touch with me when I'm in Aldorra. Look me up under "La Seva Majestat Reial la Reina Allison" and my contact info will coincide."_ read a little note paper-clipped to the cup. I dismissed myself before he had a chance to read it and ask me questions. When he typed that phrase "Her Royal Majesty the Queen Allison" into any search engine, he'd figure it out, and he'd have one final story from me.

I was on my way to the next stop; I had many people to thank, many cups of coffee and lattes to give away...

* * *

.x. Lucas

I arose for the simple reason that I could not sleep. My mind was in a frenzy. I couldn't calm myself long enough to shut my eyes and set myself at ease. I easily slid the heavy stone cover to my tomb away and stood. The sun outside didn't touch my skin but it's presence irritated my eyes...Used to be a lot worse in my first century. I rubbed them vigorously and then noticed the folded piece of stationary resting behind the hand of one of the angels and demons sculpted into my tomb on the top. I lifted the note carefully and opened it...

Of course it was from her. Her flawless handwriting, the incredible scent lingering on the paper. I saw _"Dearest Lucas"_ and I was exhilarated with the phrase, but then I closed the note again as my eyes burned and I couldn't focus. Needed to get to a completely dark room first... I avoided the sunlight that peeked behind the curtains of my mansion and sneezed a couple of times when on my way to the basement. There was one small room in my basement that did not have windows... and it was a trash room. Inside was every piece of furniture I'd broken out of anger or accident, and when I needed to vent some emotions or sudden urge of violence, I went there and wrecked. My homes did not need to suffer on my behalf.

No, vampires did not have to sleep in tombs during the day. A vampire could sleep anywhere he wished as long as it was in complete darkness, I just preferred the stone encasement. Actually, we don't have to sleep at all, but if a vampire did, they would not have to feed as often, like an alternative to help reduce the thirst. Halling sat in his dark office all day and never slept, drinking that disgusting bottled blood... But since I had arisen and I hadn't eaten last night, I was hungry. And I couldn't go outside and no one was going to come in here, so I was at an impasse. I would have to resort to _his_ standards.

I made a fast, and I mean fast, stop to the kitchen to break into the cupboard that held the wine, and behind all of the fine bottles Allison could drink, were bottles of blood red for me. These were not bottles of the sweet mixture of alcohol in the blood steam the clubs served, _that_ never stayed fresh long enough because matured blood lost its luster fast when out of the body. But stored away in case of emergencies like now, a child's blood... I looked over one bottle and decided I liked the shape. I didn't bother with a glass, just broke the top off and savored it on the way to underneath the house. Yes, young blood could be bottled and stored much longer than matured blood.

I finished the entire bottle down to the last drop by the time I reached the dark basement. It quenched my hunger, but it did not solve the conflict to why I had arisen and the note in my hand. I hadn't fed in a day or two, not that I needed to fed, maybe once or twice a week, but I thought it was hunger that made me rise before.

My thoughts, that were centered around thirst for a time, were now able to think about other issues more clearly. And I realized that my thirst had very little to do with what had happened and what was going to occur. The darkness soothed my pale skin and cold eyes... I opened the note again and was able read it through. "_We leave the night after tomorrow for home.__" _My memory recalled Courtney's message in Allison's apartment. Courtney wanted her to go home before she killed Allison, and Allison would obey if it meant saving a few of her mortals._ "Lucy is coming with us, and she'll know everything by the time you read this, so you can't refuse her." _What?! I thought Allison wanted to protect her, not put her right in danger's path! I guess that means she expects me to protect her friend...and I would, without hesitation, for her. _"I need to know if you're on my side or on the sidelines, watching as you always have." _My gut was caught as I read this part. Something stirred in me... guilt? It was topped off with _"Answer carefully" _and I knew exactly what that meant. Our entire relationship depended on my answer to this ultimatum. If I said no, well, she would turn to other sources to protect herself and destroy Courtney, sources like Halling. Just thinking about she even near him made me want to rip his sorry head from his shoulders. It was bad enough she felt she needed to make an alliance with him, but that wasn't a half bad idea, Halling usually had the greater good in mind. I glanced at the end of the note, the valediction read _"Love, Allison."_ Not sincerely, not from, but love.

It could have just been the several orgasms rubbing off into her writing, or it was something else... something more. I read over the note several more times and my mind retained what it said and everything it meant and could mean. I threw the note down after about the one-hundredth time and I beat my fist into the stone wall as my body shook with the sudden urge to... control some strong emotion. It wasn't anger, it wasn't quite desire either, or self-loathing... I couldn't describe what I was feeling right now and all of my thoughts ran wild as I tried to think of an explanation. My blood felt like it was boiling! The place where my pale fist landed had turned to dust.

I looked up with red eyes as the more violent vampire side of me was exposed. Allison, oh sweet Allison. What a lovely name. What lovely eyes, you have, what lovely hair, you have, what lovely _blood_ you have! The empty bottle I held in my other was smashed against the arm of a wooden chair. I broke that in the array of sparkling glass fragments as well. My personal thoughts overwhelmed me again as I closed my eyes and flared my nostrils. Why hadn't I drank from her last night when passion was reached? The ecstasy of taking blood overcame the passion of sex _every time_ for a vampire, only if just by a little bit. For me to have not taken her in every aspect, every sense, just didn't make sense to me. Why did I hold back? It wasn't logical for a vampire to hold back on taking blood if that situation was presented. And the situation presented her delectable blue veins underneath the succulent cream color of her skin several times... The pulse within her neck when my head was buried there, the beating in her wrist when my lips had pressed there, another throbbing vein on the top of her thigh when my tongue had ran across there... So many chances waisted!

She had trusted me not to take blood. That was one reason we were together last night. My self control when I was around her had to be enormous, and not just the control over myself toward her blood, control for other things... I didn't deserve her invitation last night at all but she had allowed me to give and give until her bodily limitations had taken enough; then she and her unyielding will had granted me permission to keep going passed her bodily limits and I drove her literally until the break of dawn. And she and I were more than satisfied. My bloody irises chilled back to their stunning blue as my thoughts came back down to earth, controlled from the monster inside.

She, her body, her sounds, her movements... all of it was divine and I was intoxicated, fascinated,_ in love_ with everything she was and is and will be. When I was completing her, every sound was made for me, every movement in response to mine, her heart was pumping and her blood was racing underneath that creamy skin! It was enough to bring me over every time she allowed me to complete her again.

I knew when she pulled me down with her last night, I had almost lost myself completely. Not just my senses to pure instinct, but my existence, my meaning of life. I'd lived for four-hundred and eighty-two years and the first time I touched her lips with my own, everything I thought I had known in that time about passion, love, existence... was completely obliterated. I had felt a powerful surge in me that I couldn't describe, but _she_ invoked this feeling and it was stronger than the blood lust and it was stronger than my seemingly petty desire for Courtney, and that strength both ignited me and terrified me.

Courtney. Beautiful, contemptuous Courtney... she was jealous of Allison. She knew I was capable of leaving her for Allison, she saw how I swooned over Allison, how I wanted nothing but to protect her from all other evils, and Courtney was growing angrier each time Allison and I were together. Why else would she kill Allison's friends? She wanted just one little chance to separate Allison from me forever. She didn't want to share me even though she wouldn't settle down with me, she thought of _me_ as _her_ property, not the other way around as it should be, because _Courtney_ was bound to _me_ by my blood. For them I was at an impasse also.

And worse, I was jealous over Allison as well. Jealous over the right and possession of her blood, the most sacred source for a vampire. Taylor _Halling_ had a sample, why couldn't I? I held the frame of the door with a iron grip and thought about every time I had the urge to drink from her, she became scared. The look in her eyes... she never looked at me as if I were not her equal, and I appreciated that immensely, but when she was fearful from the lustful glint in my eye, she looked straight at the vampire within and I could feel her heart tremor. If only she didn't _cringe_ like that when my senses locked on her internally, I wouldn't feel bad and get slapped with the stone hand of guilt each time I had the urge. Allison was brave, very brave, but she feared death like everyone else.

But no. I didn't own Allison, no matter how much I wanted to... wanted to make her mine forever. She didn't belong to me and I was acting like she did. I wanted to make it so no one else would ever touch her again, would ever pleasure her the ways I could and _did_. There were only two others before I, years ago when she was in college. And that was fine, as long as there were none after me. I knew last night was most likely a one time sort of deal, but that wasn't good enough for me. Call me possessive, call me selfish, I was every one. I didn't deserve someone as kind, noble, and wonderful as Allison. She was different than Courtney in so many ways even though they looked so much alike. She was a more genuine person, a more meaningful lover, deeper in soul. But even though I didn't deserve her, I wanted her.

I sat down now, holding my head in my hands. Why was I so incredibly weak when I was around her? Not in strength, not what I meant. I mean in will. I gave in to my temptations I had worked centuries to control, the night I lost control and kissed her passionately in the alley under the stars... I would have taken her, whether she wanted me to or not, I had lost myself then, too. I would have allowed the monster I had caged in me to escape long enough to take whatever innocence she had left and then I would have been beaten down by guilt afterward.

But Courtney didn't like that too much. She wanted to be the one to take away Allison's will and innocence and life. And I only wanted to protect her from that. Another impasse.

Speaking of protecting, my thoughts lapsed around Halling again. What the bleeding _hell_ was that fiend up to? He had kidnapped Allison, scared her half to death, threatened her life, and stole her blood. After that had happened, the protective gene I felt for Allison multiplied by tenfold. Taylor claimed he sent Allison to get information from me, and I didn't feel as betrayed as I should about that, but what bothered me was not knowing his intentions. Taylor wasn't an idiot, a bastard, but not an idiot. He would have known I saw his deal with Allison in her head, not even she could fool me on that, no matter how talented. But he proceeded like that was expected. Then when I spoke to him a few days ago, more like threatened him, when he was on his way to Allison's apartment for his investigator duties, I had made a death threat toward him if he so much as touched Allison. He looked like he expected that, too. His dark eyes reflected triumph! Then he told me the most peculiar thing, it confused me more on top of everything else and threw me off from guessing his intentions again. He had said "That sounds about right." As if Allison and I's relationship was part of some master plan he had! There was no way.

Another weakness in my character I knew I couldn't control, I knew that if Allison ever asked me to get on my knees and beg for forgiveness, I would without a doubt. I had in the church, actually, minus the begging. And what a gracious soul, she had forgiven me without me asking, without me begging. I had torn myself up about her sorrow and linked it back to me from Courtney, and she somehow did not find it in her heart to hate me for what I haven't done. I had told her I wouldn't help her or Halling because of the revenge cycle, it would make them no better. But that was only one small part. Before Allison literally walked into my life, I had been under Courtney's spell and I made my foolish self believe I loved her when it was merely a one sided infatuation, and I had always understood that, I just never believed it. I killed her fledglings, but that was all I would do, before now. Allison wants me to say yes to her ultimatum, I knew she did and I know I wanted to. No, I did not deserve her at all. But I would throw away dignity for her, my right of will as a man if she muttered the command.

And this flaw in myself angered me. I saw submission to a woman as a sign of weakness. I forced it to subside.

I stood and glanced over at a half-shattered mirror in the corner. I chuckled a little bit as I remembered Allison's shock when I had a reflection in the fountain... perhaps tonight I should explain a little bit about vampire's limitations and abilities... The man in the mirror had a satisfied smile on his face; the emotion was... happiness. He frowned after he thought this. When was the last time I had been truly happy? Courtney offering her hand to me in a sense to give herself away? My mortal life when my mother and I would go into town to escape my brassy German grandmum?

I speculated my features... my hair had looked better, but at least I was wearing clothes. What would Allison think if she saw me right now?

I turned away and my nostrils flared again.

Now I cared what she thought of me too?!

There was a word for this. A modern sense of a word that had a different denotation than it's literal meaning. I had laughed at it once even though the irony of it was that it described me now. Oh, yes.

I was _whipped_.

Lucas Gunter Hawthorn was not a lap dog of a woman. But the woman was a Queen... That hardly mattered to me, Allison was amazing without the royal names. Her power of authority inside her, however, that trait secretly thrilled me. There was some crazy part of me that _wanted_ her to control me, to have control over me. Like last night, I might have happened to be on top dealing the cards, but she was the one calling the shots. I didn't want some woman who would throw herself at me because I looked or smelled good, no, there had been plenty of those who became food. I wanted Allison, her fears, her ambitions, her daring personality, her flaws, her defiance, but she was not too defiant that she was brash and just annoying. What exactly was it that I loved about her?

Wait. Love?

I loved Allison?

My eyes were wide as I repeated those words aloud. They weren't foreign syllables, I had whispered them to Courtney in the past. But there was this new, unexplainable, _powerful_ feeling that was behind them, willing them from my mouth...

My mind was finally able to operate a little more clearly and calmly. I remembered now, there had been something else last night and the nights before. When Taylor had damaged her, I wanted to make him pay for it. I didn't, but I wanted to. Then last night, before the passion... her tears had collided with my skin and there was a spark. The hot water and salt sent a electric current through my cold body and awakened the monster within as I looked at the pain and sorrow in her eyes...

And I wanted to literally kill the person who caused it.

But then I remembered who that person was and... no. It was enough. Just one moment of pure hatred toward Courtney was enough to break the spell she had over me.

I picked the note up from the floor and looked over it again. _'Answer carefully.'_ It read for the last sentence.

Yes, very carefully indeed. Suddenly, my mind was perfectly clear. I had made my decision.

* * *

.x. Allison

I stood before Lucy's door with her favorite donut and latte in hand, white chocolate maple syrup and a chocolate glazed donut with little sprinkles. I hesitated before knocking. How would I start this? Would she believe me? Maybe I should have brought books, journals, pictures...Luke had plenty of those in his amazing library. I didn't have time to take my presence back when Lucy opened the door and smiled when seeing my nervous one and her favorite treats in my hand.

"Did you do something wrong and are now trying to butter me up into forgiveness?" she accused teasingly. At least that signature sparkle was in her eye again, even if just a little bit. I knew Lucy was still recovering from recent tragedies... or at least, on the right path to it.

"What? No!" I replied with a bigger smile. She dismissed the nervousness I had almost instantly and I followed her inside. "If I was begging for forgiveness, wouldn't I have bought something a little more...flashy?" I motioned to my fat wallet, which was actually full of hundreds. But she could think what she wanted.

"Right, riches of the royal, I forget you have _loads_ stashed away." She paused suddenly, her entire light-hearted mood lost as she gasped at what she said. 'Loads,' was part of the English dialect Daniel had rubbed off on us through the years.

I quickly changed the subject when I noticed this. "I didn't come here to beg for anything, but I bring the foods because I want you in the best, most satisfied mood possible when I tell you-" While I was talking, I walked over to the comfy couch in her living room that faced the window where the sun poured in. My legs and basically every muscle in my body was so sore and I had been walking all day... I limped over to the cushions and sat down with a long sigh of relief. Old sofas had _never_ felt better. Lucy gasped and that's what had cut me off.

"What?" I asked quickly, almost alarmed.

"You! You..." she pointed at me, surprised... Then the sparkle returned to her eye more brightly than before. I was uneasy as she looked at me almost like a proud mother or mentor. "You finally did the dirty with him, didn't you?"

My jawed dropped as a faint red ran across my cheeks and I hid my face behind my hair. "No!" Goddamn, she was amazing. All she had to do was watch the way I walked! Damn her always being right about _every_thing... "Yes." I replied

"Why do you look so ashamed?"

"I'm not _ashamed._" I replied a little to quickly. I paused and thought over just how I felt about it. "No, definitely not ashamed." I added with a small smile. She joined me on the couch and looked as if she wanted details, to _gossip_ about my sex life, ugh. "I just want a little discretion about it, and you noticed so easily..."

"Oh please, Ally. You know being amazingly perceptive is just one of my natural skills. No one else could have noticed that and made the deduction I did."

_It's not a skill, you're just plain amazing, Lucy. My own little angel complete with a wardrobe bigger than Central Park and every latest magazines of the world. You've been such a great friend to me and I don't want to leave you behind and leave you unprotected so Courtney can take advantage of you, too. Come with me to another country so that I can be selfish and have you at my side as I rule my kingdom again, making you give up the life you know here. _Come on, I just have to spit it out...

She noticed I was contemplating and took a sip of the latte. "You wanted to tell me something?" she asked sweetly and titled her head. She was unbelievably adorable... I can see why Danny fell in love with her so easily.

"Everything, actually. I'm thinking of a good place to start."

"Just...spit it out. Start exactly with the thought you have now." she suggested. I stopped thinking and concentrated on my one thought. Vampires.

There was a warning I had to give her first. "Lucy, before I reveal anything; any secret, any plot or plan... Know that if I tell you, you will have to leave this city. You'll have to go with me."

"Go with you where?" she asked, a tiny amount of remorse in her voice. It made this that much harder...

"Home."

"Home?"

"My home country. My people have missed me long enough, and once I tell you what you've wanted to hear from me and what I want you to know, you'll be in danger harboring a huge secret you are not supposed too. But you deserve to know it, Lucy. You deserve it a lot more than I do."

There was a long and uneasy silence, in which Lucy looked at her knees in thought, trying to come to a decision. Finally the blonde looked up at me with her aqua eyes and nodded. "Okay. I understand."

I acknowledged her acceptance, but this was still difficult and unfair to pull her away from her home and take her to mine. I stood up and began to pace. How crazy was I about to sound? Would she even believe me or refer me to a councilor? It would be harder for an American such as herself to understand... if she'd grown up in my country, around all of the legends of vampires and such, it would be much easier to believe me when I said. "Vampires are real." There, I said it. That wasn't even the biggest part but at least I'd gotten it out. I didn't take her silence well.

"What?" she finally asked. Yes, I wouldn't believe me either.

"Vampires, Lucy. Suck your blood, pale skin cold to the touch, amazingly gorgeous, burn-up-in-the-sun vampires! They are very real, I have seen them, been around them... You know, the _vampire_ concept you might still have trouble grasping." I sounded like a lunatic. Please, put that white jacket on me now so I don't have to continue!

She was simply quiet as I paused to look up at her. "I guess I need to have an open mind for this, don't I?" she asked me with a small and unsteady smile. She was debating whether to believe me or not.

"Yes," I replied. "Please, believe what I say. I would not make this up."

"I know you wouldn't. Please continue. I'll try my best." she told me sweetly and drank a larger gulp of the drink. Now she understood why I brought her favorites... I was trying to convince her I was not insane.

"Alright. So, we've got the vampire concept down?" I asked. She nodded. "Luke is a vampire." The second wave, I took her wide eyes as shock. "But a... good vampire, I guess you can say. He blends into society and doesn't cause trouble. I trust him." For the most part.

Lucy recovered from her shock as I babbled on. "I've talked to him too, Ally. He seems like a nice guy, though I always knew there was something else about him... I wouldn't have shipped you two together if I suspected he was really going to cause you harm." I sighed. Either she was humoring me or she believed me. "But a vampire, huh? Did he suck your blood?" she asked with a little perk.

My eyes were wide. "No. Just..."

"Just the sex. Gotcha."

"Can we not talk about that right now?" I begged.

"Continue please." she added innocently.

"Thank you. Let's see... another vampire who's in the system of society? Taylor Halling."

"That drop-dead-gorgeous investigator?"

"Yes, poor choice of words for him, though." I said. "He's good, for the most part. I don't think we can fully trust him like we can Luke, really, but I might have no other choice. I've formed an alliance with him against- ...a bad vampire."

Lucy heard the graveness in my tone and she looked up to the reluctance in my eyes. She was so brilliant, I knew she'd figure it out. "This 'bad' vampire wouldn't have anything to do with Daniel's murder, would they?"

I nodded slowly. "I know who the culprit is, Lucy. And I'm going to kill her."

"'Her.'"

I nodded slowly again. "She wants me, Luce. She just wanted to kill me and make me suffer, but since I've been hiding out in America instead of where she wants me..."

Lucy nodded in understanding. "Danny took a hit for you." she finished heavily. I waited for a moment. I waited for anger, for her to resent me. It didn't come. She looked unusually calm for this situation.

"I... Aren't you angry?"

"Should I be?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed. "It was my stupid fault he got hurt! You should be trying to choke me...or something violent to take out your...emotion." Her calm composure began to make me feel silly.

"I know you didn't go to this vampire and tell her to kill Danny, therefore this is not your fault and I have no reason to bear grudge against you. I can bear a grudge against her, but I choose not to, also."

"But... why?" I asked her. It didn't make any sense to know who a killer of your friend was and want to feel nothing.

"Because being angry at the culprit will do no good for me. I'm obviously not in a position to stop her if you're here, trying to protect me by taking me out of country. I'll only become bitten with hate and my rather clear sight will be blinded with thoughts of violence all of the time. I don't want that, so I will not hold a grudge. I will leave the hatred for someone who can do something about this murderess, and they can channel their rage into her destruction."

Her words shocked me. She was... rising above the vengeance that threatened to consume me. And others. It was astounding. Her statement was very powerful.

"Please tell me why she wants to kill you, Allison. That worries me. I agree to go with you where ever you wish but I want to know why."

I was still speechless at how well she was taking this. I worried if she holding back what she really felt, or if this was really the truth from her. I came to her side again and eased myself down next to her, her eyes spoke the truth, and she was not full of hatred. I smiled at my angel and felt ridiculous to expect resentment from someone as wondrous as her.

I began from the beginning. I told Lucy my story of coming to America with my mother, about my family and it's dilemma with the curse, about my parent's tragedies and why I changed my name and had to lie to her all of these years. I told her of my goal to find my mother's killer and find a way to break the curse before I would return home; what I had discovered along the way and recently, about vampires in the city, the covens. I tied in the bizarre wolf attacks with my introduction of Courtney and then I told her the story of Courtney V, minus the visions I had been given. I tried emulating the way Luke had told me, and Luke did a better job than I did, in my opinion, but the point had gotten across. Lucy sat very passively and held her questions until I was done.

"She is an enemy to me, and unless I start taking action, I and everyone I care about around me are sitting ducks. I don't want to leave you here all alone, Lucy. Reason one, it's cruel for me to suddenly take off in a time of need for the both of us, and two, I cannot take the chance that Courtney will get to you, too."

"It's hard to understand her motives. My impression, while you were telling me about her life before... becoming a vampire, was that she is just a psychopath with a beauty complex and a grudge that won't die." What a good summary for Courtney. I agreed.

"Honestly, knowing her reasons matter little because I know she's not going to just stop and walk away from her "life goal." Luke told me all she knows for existing is to kill, so anything else is out of the question. It's going to have to come to putting an end to her or me, and I'd really prefer it'd be her." I thought of the note I gave Luke. If he didn't choose to be on my side... it would most likely cost my life in the end. Lucy nodded and raised her arms as if to give a hallelujah. "Now, I want to leave tomorrow night if that's possible for you to pack in that time. And don't worry about money, I can pay for you, everything you need, your tickets and anything else you may want on the way. I just need to make sure you have a passport."

"I do, luckily."

"Excellent. Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, Allison. If your _majesty_ wants me to come with her on a royal adventure, I shall." she said playfully and bowed her head. I made a face. I didn't want my friend to start bowing already! I would get enough of it when I arrived in Aldorra... "Anyway, I want to come with you. Don't think I'm obligated. I'll be fine. I was thinking about... taking a break, for awhile. It's just too much to stay here and go back to work. Too many memories for me to handle right now."

Ah, perfect then. Going to a peaceful, secluded country in the mountains with fresh, crisp spring air would do the both of us some good. "It'll be okay." I told her and we took comfort in a warm embrace. "It's a good thing you agreed, or else I'd have to kidnap you." I teased. She giggled. I looked for that sparkle again, it was a good sign in her aqua eyes.

"I can't believe you slept with Danny's murderer's creator."

I worried she would think less of me for this fact; but the look on her face held a humor over the sadness. She was trying hard to make his death into something less... painful. Being able to freely discuss him would be a good step towards that. I made a mental note to work on that with her while my smile was awkward. "I wish you'd stop badgering me over details to my _private_ sex life." I said as I stood.

"Oh come on!" She threw a pillow at my head. "I told you about mine! You got Danny and me to share a night and I told you about it!" She laughed hollowly through the remorse of that phrase. "Now it's your turn to tell me about who I hooked you up with."

I was about to tear this pillow in half because that was a very good point! I threw it back at her instead. "Vampires have endurance, "best sex ever," end of story, I'm not telling you anything else!" She began to tussle me again, this time asking about the limp and how much of a _good time_ I must have had with him if it left me unable to walk properly. "I can't hear you!" I shouted now with my hands over my ears.

We both could be so immature when we were together. And she was the only person I could act like this around. I enjoyed the easy-going moments, because soon they would be very rare and replaced with Royal duties and obligations. I needed to prepare for that, mentally and physically. I needed to get in contact with the parliament and the regent sitting in the monarch's place while my country waited on me...

A pillow hitting me in the back of the head again brought me back to the world. "Allison! Get out of your happy place. I was only kidding."

I knew she meant well. But to get back at her, I ran over and stole her donut and took a huge bite out of it. She shouted and threw another pillow. "Hey! Now I don't feel sorry anymore... give me my donut!" I ducked as she swiped at me and tripped over her coffee table. I had to run away when she got back to her feet."I thought you didn't _like_ super models, huh? ... Three years without a single boyfriend and you landed the odd one out! Aha, that says something about _you_, Ally!"

I ended up dropping the donut on my shirt and getting a huge chocolate glaze stain over my left breast. That's when we stopped. "Ugh, I'm going to go home and change..." I told her as I wiped off the chocolate best I could. Now I had a brown smudge on my shirt. Wonderful. "I'm going to come back with a cab before sunset. I would really feel a ton better if you stayed with Luke and I tonight. I don't want to leave you alone during the night."

"Pssh. You did last night."

"And you were very lucky nothing happened to you, Lucy! Please don't make me take you by force. I will."

She paused for a minute and a sly grin grew on her face. "Wait, home? Your apartment is off limits so that means... You're staying with Luke besides here?"

"For the time being. You'll really like his place." I told her with a grin.

"Don't tell me it's one of those rooftop suites that only rich celebs can afford." She said with another sparkle in her eye.

"Better." I told her. She swooned for a moment and tried to guess.

"Don't ask me! You'll have to wait until sunset...which is in..." I was surprised when I realized I'd been out the entire day already! "One hour."

So I returned to Luke's, changed quickly, and then left again to retrieve Lucy.

* * *

.x. Lucas

I wanted darkness.

The time for a vampire to rise, traditionally, was drawing nearer. I disliked staying inside during the day, perhaps my next mansion will have tinted windows so I can do as I want when the sun is up, threatening to spit on me if I take a glance outside. Sometimes I considered migrating to the northern regions, where it is cold and dark for a larger portion of the year than it was other places, like here. But then I recalled how seemingly empty and forlorn it had been in a northern part of Canada when I lived there for half a decade or so awhile back, how lonely I felt and unhappy I was. The dark winter was simply the mirror of eternity, bleak, cold, alone. I couldn't see how humans could stand to live in such a godforsaken place, so I put the natives there out of their misery and returned to Europe.

I lay on my back, perfectly balanced on the thin piece of wood that used to be the back part of a sofa with my hands gently resting on my still chest. My eyes were closed, my mind had been completely blank before I heard noises, and felt a presence. Warm, the pulse was just a beat higher than normal; from the sound of her steps it was because she was running, in a hurry. Allison. After about a minute, her steps exited the mansion again and her presence faded into the sunlight outside I didn't have a sonar for within my heightened senses.

I wondered momentarily what she'd been doing all day. She started her day by leaving me that note and then made trips in and out of the mansion as she pleased. That meant she felt comfortable here, comfortable enough to go and come, do as she wanted without worry of hospitality. That was good.

A few minutes later, when I felt the sun was very low in the sky but not quite low enough for me to rise without being miserable with 'allergies' and the burning heat of the dusk, her presence returned. Very enthusiastically, with another body. I concentrated on the sounds of their steps and heartbeats, their voices, movements... Allison led the way, her pulse rising as she announced my home to her guest, another light-weight female from the density, her heart beat just as rapid and her voice replying with just as much excitement as Allison's. Her friend who's name always escapes me... starts with an L, similar to mine, mentioned in the note... Lucy. The young little blonde. The one who Allison insisted she take with us for her protection and friendship.

They traveled from the front, to hallways where Lucy stopped every few steps to, I suppose, admire something on the wall. "I always thought this was an abandoned haunted house..." she said. I chuckled. That's what most people thought and I had nerve enough to buy the place for that quality. "It's even more breathtaking in the back..." Allison told her and their steps drifted off toward that direction.

Minutes ticked by and they made their way to the stairs leading up to the second story. Lucy and her fluttery-like steps went ahead of Allison's sluggish and lazy steps. Was she... exhausted? Her heartbeat and presence radiated less excitement as I assumed she went into thought about something. I was too far away to tap into her mind, too much material separated us; it would be much easier if I were touching her but I could shallowly tap into people's minds from their physical presence alone. Her steps stopped altogether as she leaned herself against a window seal and sighed when taking a seat. Yes, she was exhausted. I could hear it in her voice from even this far away.

"There's just bed rooms and junk rooms up there. The first door on the right is where Luke sleeps, don't go in there. He'll come out when the sun sets completely." Allison explained.

Lucy asked if she could slide down the rail when her steps reached the top of the stairs. A moment later her weight shifted from the floor to the rail and I heard her weight drop to the floor again at the bottom of the stairs, plus the sound of a vase smashing. It was followed by several apologies and the increase of her heart to a very rapid level. "Oh, shit. I'm so sorry. That looked really expensive!"

"Nonsense. He won't mind; and if he does I'll just buy him another one." Allison replied calmly. "Just...clean it up and maybe he won't even notice. Household knick-knacks are not on the top of his mind, I don't think."

_House hold knick-knacks?_ She dare call that vase a knick-knack? It had come from a royal palace in Switzerland when monarchy still existed there. It was literally one of a kind. I arose off my feet as I heard Lucy's steps flutter toward the kitchen and the rubbish bin with the pieces of the vase. Allison shoved the rest of the evidence under a rug as I slid fluidly to the ground floor from the basement and surprised them both when I suddenly seemed to appear in the middle of my living room.

"Good evening, ladies." I said toward Allison in an alluring tone, then glanced at Lucy just to see the shock of her face that matched that sky-rocket heartbeat of hers. Allison's chest sounded relatively normal, though being tired could have been a part of it. They both looked as if they'd just been caught with their hand in the cookie jar and I laughed quietly to myself. I took a closer look at Allison and saw the invisible lines under her eyes that screamed for a soft bed and eight hours. I was both prideful and sorry I'd given her body that sort of weariness, but more prideful for the moment. I smiled gently toward her as she stood straight and placed her hands innocently at her sides.

"You have a lovely estate." Lucy's voice came from the side, attempting to break whatever awkwardness was about to befall the atmosphere. I turned toward her and thanked her politely. From the both of their minds, I saw the conversation that was shared only an hour ago about the 'everything' Allison described her friend would know. Allison seemed leery about my behavior toward her friend.

"Luke, Lucy will be staying here tonight, if that's alright with you."

And I suppose if it wasn't alright, Allison would have her way anyway. She didn't even bother to ask the host of the home before inviting a guest, knowing I'd agree without a problem. I loved that assurance in her. "Yes, that is quite alright. There are plenty of bedrooms upstairs and downstairs, choose whichever one you like. I need to speak to Allison in private for a moment, so go ahead and make yourself at home." Lucy's heartbeat fluttered as I proposed this. She flashed a smile with implication toward Allison before shuffling away. Her presence was a lot more... jittery now that she knew of my true nature, but oddly she was not fearful. Come to recall, her presence had never really been fearful as most ordinary mortals are when speaking to me, when we'd spoken before in the past. What an interesting character, I thought; and from the look Allison shot back at her, she seemed to think the same.

Allison looked to me now, bewildered, anticipating, unknowingly into my eyes. The assurance of her personality faltered and I felt her body tremor as a small flush of nervousness swept through her and a tiny splash of rose came to her creamy cheeks. We were thinking about the exact same notion: the answer to the ultimatum. She honestly didn't know what I was going to say in response to her note, or if she did, she had every doubt. I could see all of the thoughts as she went over the facts in her head and tried to think of a logical outcome, then she thought of all her options if I rejected her (disdainfully they involved Taylor and possible death). There was a problem with that, though; this feeling that was nestled inside of my body for her was not logical. Desire, love, whatever it was named, was not logical at all. It didn't always make sense but at the same time had perfect reason.

"Join me in the study." I offered and held out my hand. One, it was a more private setting, two, it allowed a barrier to keep her friend from eavesdropping, three, I had something of hers she wanted. She came forward with a lazy step and took my hand; to save her the trouble of walking on those legs I knew I'd made sore, I picked her up with my arm around her back and under her knees. The lovely rose on her cheeks grew but she was thankful for the gesture as we made our way to the library room. Her form, so delicate, weightless, felt perfect in my arms. Her curly hair that smelled rather wonderful hit my cheeks like sweet scents in the wind, and I loved that, too.

.x. Allison

The sun had just snuggled under the blankets of the horizon and the azure and royal blue sky gave room for the stars to dance in the backgrounds of the windows in this anticipating setting. Luke, probably feeling good about himself for his physical display of myself in his arms right now, was leading me on. He was going to pick me up, lead me into different rooms, jump on different subjects and avoid just answering my damn question. A simply answer, please, just yes or no! Just tell me, right now, yes or no... whisper it in my ear as you carry me, or, drop me and yell it to my weary muscles as I hit the ground. My tired arms hung around his neck and my sapphire eyes pleaded into his icy blue. He only smiled and seemed not to notice until we came into the library and he shut the door behind us.

I was set down on my own two feet again, and before I had a chance to get straight to the point, his lips were on mine. Fervently, roughly, passionately. His firm grip came to my waist and pressed me against him; I couldn't help but let my hands crawl up his sturdy build and return his romantic gesture by molding into him, letting his lips consume, tongue invade.

I was utterly confused as he did this, but my mental state mattered little in my zealous response. There was no way for him to reject me if this, this... wonderful and powerful emotion was invoked between us. Was there a word for this? I could only think of one that made sense right now, two if you count the name of the one delivering.

His lips separated from mine once he sensed I needed air, and only for that reason. "Lucas..." I whispered in a tone soft enough for only him to hear.

.x. Lucas

Her voice. My name muttered in such an intimate style. Her flushed cheeks and shallow breaths. All of it. I was just now realizing I loved all of it. How could I have not realized such an emotion before? How could I doubt what I felt for this wonderful, marvelous, astounding woman in my arms, heart racing for me? Was Courtney's beautiful exterior, but suddenly empty and cold interior _that_ blinding to the beauty before me?

I didn't want to justify my reasons for not acting before this moment. I thought I had loved Courtney since the moment I set immortal eyes on her, but I couldn't have been more wrong to mistake an obvious lust and infatuation of beauty for true feelings. I just didn't understand until I met Allison. Suddenly, seeing Allison's logic a little more unbiased, it was perfectly right to destroy Courtney. It was not only my responsibility, I owed it to my lover and my rival-who-was-still-an-ally, and to the system of all things right and justified. She had not only broken laws and killed brutally and revealed herself, she did it all for the most selfish reasons possible.

I was brought back from my mind when Allison's warm breath touched my lips. That sweet taste lingering in her mouth... it was...

I kissed her deeply again to get another taste.

It was chocolate. I smiled and pulled back from her and then descended to the floor to kneel on one knee.

There was a skipped beat of her heart within her chest as I did this and locked my eyes with hers.

.x. Allison

He paused long enough for me to catch my breath, but when he didn't return immediately like he had the night before, my grip tightened on the back of his neck and shoulder and I moved closer to his lips. How could I deny something so... inspiring. Just looking at him was sex.

His cold mouth overcame mine again and then he suddenly broke off. I was confused for a moment, and when I saw he'd sunk down on one knee, I was even more so.

"Allison Mary Lockett." he voiced in a prurient tone. My hand was clasped into his, his other ran quickly through his hair to give it the messy look adored on him. "It is my deepest, and most sincere honor and pleasure to serve you, through whatever you may lead me to or have me accomplish, through sickness or wound, until death take me from your loyal guard." I believe my heart had stopped as he said that, that, play on vows for marriage to tell me "yes" in a much more articulate fashion. "Do you accept my righteous services?"

"I do." I managed to reply. He stood, the biggest grin exposing his perfectly white teeth, complete with fangs. "Wait, I need a sword." I interjected suddenly. I'd been thinking of the royal court all day... trying to recall all of the etiquettes and mannerisms for the royal of blood to know... It was time I put one to test.

He seemed trivial for a moment but obeyed my request. Luke disappeared for a moment, I heard a rustle from the other side of the room, and he stood before me again with an old iron sword with a worn handle in his white hands. I nodded a thank you and made a motion for him to kneel again.

.x. Lucas

I pondered what she had planned for a moment, and I smiled gently when I guessed and returned to one knee on the floor.

"Do you," she started, putting the sword gently on my right shoulder, "Pledge to serve Her Royal Majesty the Queen Allison, in all her goals and ambitions, to loyally fulfill any and every command given even if it means going against situations of the past..." I looked up at her as she said this with a guilty smile. She still had one doubt of me and what I felt toward her, and she had no idea how silly it was for her to have that doubt compared to what I felt right now. "And protect her Majesty until death?"

"I do." I said with a complete assurance behind my voice. The tenacious look in her eyes right now, the richer tone of her voice. This was the sweet Lockett blood within her I fantasized about drinking, and I loved that too.

The sword lifted to my other shoulder. "Then I hereby declare the two of us bonded by the ancient code of honor..." I brushed the sword aside and didn't want to let her finish. "valor," she rushed but I captured her lips. "...and fortitude." she managed.

She returned my kiss for a moment but became rather unresponsive after another... The sword was leaned against the wall and I felt her body collapse into mine, unintentionally I believe. I'd almost forgotten, almost, she was exhausted. She was brilliant, and had been performing wonderfully all day long, and that took a toll for a sore human body. There were many things to do, people to call, messages to send, tickets to buy, bags to pack. But that could all wait until tomorrow. I guess, as I easily picked up her form again to go lay in a nice bed, I could arrange some of the things she had on her mind for her. She was quiet as I carried her away, into the bedroom next to the one Lucy had chosen. When I walked by the open door, Lucy was enthralled to see me carrying Allison into the room over. She thought it was a 'fond and loving gesture' and her aqua eyes lit up with a hopeful glint, like she _wanted_ me to do something else sweet for Allison.

I set my lovers' form on the bed and she was already drifting away. Lucy came next to my side and made a soft cooing sound. "Ah, poor thing... I hadn't known she was _that_ tired."

"As tempting as it sounds to change her into something a little more comfortable, I'll leave that to someone she trusts." I told Lucy with a bit of a sexual tease directed toward Allison. Lucy giggled.

"She does trust you." she replied softly as I turned to remove myself from the room. I paused for a moment, but then continued.

Before I took care of anything for Allison, a nice meal sounded rather delicious to get the disgusting essence of the bottled blood from my system. I looked forward to the hunt tonight.

"Have a good time." Lucy called to me as I stalked away, thoughts centered around a kill. Did she know what I was thinking...? No... no, there was no way. It was just a lucky hunch. I laughed and went on about my night.

* * *

**As the author begs you:** Not to ask too much of everyone, but you all would make me soo so happy if I reached 100 reviews before I post the next chapter. For the last three chapters, nine people have reviewed consistently... if three more do, that'd be the goal. Please make my day, won't you? -bites lip innocently-


	19. Chapter XVII

**Note:** I am a very happy author, everyone. Seriously. You all got me one-hundred grand spankin' reviews and I could really not be more pleased! (except with a million dollars and a red hot mustang, but that's a different story). To reward you, **I have written oneshots for vampires.** Enjoy them. Hint: See profile for the stories under this one. Again, I wanted to thank every single one of my contributers. Seriously, without you, the story wouldn't be what it is. It would be a lesser version of the same idea, not as awesome. (Random claim: I own this plot and it's characters). Do you realize that five chapters ago, I only had about 42 reviews? 102 is so awesome compared to that! -swoons- Sexual favors for _everyone_.

Cheat sheet:

-regent (n) a person who exercises the ruling power in a kingdom during the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign.

-constitutional monarchy (n) a form of national government in which the power of the monarch (the king or queen) is restrained by a parliament, by law, or by custom.

-coronation (n) the act or ceremony of crown a king, queen, or other sovereign.

-catalan (n) a Romance language closely related to Provençal, spoken in Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Andorra, southern France, and western Sardinia.

Definitions from dictionary(dot)com with help of wikipedia(dot)org.

**Chapter 17 – Inevitable**

Dreams tell us things we normally would not comprehend while conscience. Especially me, and the recent events that have changed my life into an inevitable direction, my dreams have showed me the threats and blessings to come and some that have passed. It was no coincidence that I dreamed of Courtney's face, and wolves, and Lucas, and the desires and the fears invoked in those sequences because they all ended up having some sort of significance with me later... and since it was no longer a coincidence, I would not ignore the scenario presented to me after Luke lay me to rest within these wonderful silk sheets I was in now.

At first, my tired body lingered after Luke's touch. I had felt weightless in his arms and he made me seem that way with his strength, and my favorite cold kiss was placed on the center of my forehead before his smooth skin was lost to my exhaustion._ I then dreamed of pleasant things; events that had taken place, situations I remember enjoying myself in the most throughout my life. Memories like playing with one of my good friends as a child in the courtyard of our palace back in my country, graduating an American High School and the simple pleasures given to me by my peers during that time, then more recently, Lucy and Daniel and the merry days spent with them in clubs and cafes and our work office._

_Then, all of it was ripped away. I felt so very...cold, and alone. I struggled to find some sort of light, or feel around for some sort of presence or object, but there was nothing. Finally I stumbled over something and fell to the ground within the dream. A light illuminated only where I was in the vast nothingness, and I was able to see the objects I'd tripped over, or more so, the bodies. I felt their warm blood on my hands when I pulled myself up and looked behind me. My sight caught my mother and Daniel, laying so lifelessly on the floor with their eyes wide open, staring up into the light. Blood soaked them both and now me._

_I gasped and shook and turned to get away; I ended up falling again over myself and the darkness took me. For several moments I simply breathed, in and out, in this empty darkness. And then I heard a voice. _

_It was a calm, wonderful voice; the sound of a mother, the essence of how a female should sound. And I knew the demon of which it belonged. "Death will come with your reign, Allison. Running away and hiding like a scared little child as your mother did won't work anymore. Go back to your country and allow me to kill you as the Queen you've been bred to be, the Queen I want to savor in your blood, or more will die, my child." Her voice came from all around, echoed within me, filled me with dread..._

_Something warm had slid across my forehead. The feeling was very real, unlike the fantasy-like hypnotism my dream produced,_ and my eyes shot open_. _

Lucy's aqua eyes blinked as she loomed over me. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Her hand withdrew from its place on my forehead.

"No, I'm glad you did." I told her, and sighed.

"I was just checking on you. You can go back to sleep or whatever now..." She had left the room.

And that left me to swim in my dread, staring up at the ceiling of this foreign room. I'd been calling the sequence a dream, but it should be called what it was, a nightmare. A nightmare that had done it's job well by making me feel uneasy, unrest, and fearful. I stirred within the sheets and decided I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep even if a wanted to.

I stretched, and every sore muscle and bone was ripped and popped back into place from the stiff position I'd been resting in on that marvelous bed... Blue and black sheets, silk this time.

I eased myself up and drifted toward the closed curtains of the large window in the bedroom. The darkness of the early morning hours of the city was respected and my unease began to melt away. The stars were starting to weaken in the sky as the night came near its end... I looked back into the foliage and suddenly a strange feeling was pressed unto me... a horrible, dreadful rush came at me like a strong wind, though nothing seemed to be there.

I shivered and retreated back to the center of the room. I concentrated on other things... What time was it exactly? What room was I in? I traveled to the kitchen where I heard noise and found Lucy sipping peacefully at some coffee while reading the latest People magazine. A bag of groceries and its packaged contents were spread over the island of the kitchen, along with the latest newspaper. I could only assume Luke had done a little grocery shopping at Lucy's whim, and this thought amused me to a point I chuckled and Lucy looked up with a smile. "Morning."

I greeted the same as my eyes slid over the paper. On the bottom of the front page was a little article about the zero-success the city was having with finding or subduing the culprit of the wolf slaughterings that occurred in weeks before, and how the city was still shaken by those deaths although they had seemed to have stopped for now. There hadn't been any for awhile now... That was because the moon was passed its gibbous Luke was talking about that Courtney needed to transform. I felt a tiny relief in that, although that didn't mean that Courtney wasn't still a threat, and that the city would ever find out who was really behind those killings. I guess Taylor could rest easier for awhile now, not having to keep vampire's identities from the public when the beast killed and humans discovered the bodies before he clean them up. Especially since I was leaving tonight, he wouldn't have to worry about Courtney in his city anymore at all. "What time is it?" I asked halfway through a yawn. Lucy gleamed.

"Around four in the morning. Luke is out on some errands. He's very efficient if you need something done at nighttime. Good thing WalMart is open 24/7..."

I was amused again. Lucy called him "efficient." Her flawless tone suggested absolutely nothing had changed in her since she learned he was not human. This worried me. "...What sort of errands, Lucy? Please don't tell me you gave him a long list of ridiculous tasks." I asked. Honestly, I didn't like the idea of Luke leaving the two of us, rather helpless females compared to the creatures of the night, alone during the time of darkness. I still felt a little bit of unease from my nightmare and wished for him to return. I felt safe with him, and without him was just an awful feeling.

"No. He offered me his services, which I think now was an empty gesture, but I took him seriously and told him I was hungry and wanted some literature." She lifted the magazine. "And he had to make arrangements of his own for this trip. Flight tickets for one, I think he mentioned we needed to take a jet that would get us to our destination in a single night with enough time for him to find a place out of the sun. He needed to give the press one last interview saying how "he's retiring in his model career to move onto bigger and better things..." He also needed to contact services to have someone take care of this place in his absence...and both of our places, for the matter. He was going to discuss hotel issues with you, but I told him you really didn't care as long as it had a roof... And I didn't know if you had suitcases so I sent him to buy pretty much everything packing wise... If you want to leave tonight I'll be packing all day!"

I mused over her long list of things and went over a few items of my own I needed done if Luke hadn't already taken care of it. This reminded me of something I needed to ask Luke when he returned. "Did you even go to sleep at all?"

"Nope. I can be efficient too. I just didn't want to go to sleep here..."

There. Finally a hint of the hidden fear within her of Luke's true nature. She didn't want to give up consciousness in a vampire home, maybe. Or perhaps she was still in a torment over Daniel and could not sleep. "Oh, okay." I would have been more concerned if she_ could_ accept his vampiric nature as easily as that. Lucy hadn't grown up around the tales of vampires being real as I had. It was only right for her to be a little edgy, scared even. But Luke would never bring harm to her and she knew that, so she was at ease on the outside. Her smile told me that.

"No worries, I was playing dress-up for about an hour with all of the dresses and costumes upstairs in the wardrobes. They're gorgeous! But I think they were more your size... I don't really have the breasts you have so the front wasn't right..."

"Lucy." I stopped her with a small grin on my face. We were not talking about my breasts. "Censorship is a great quality you seem to lack." She laughed. Blueberry muffins caught my eye in the bag of food. I pulled them out and satisfied my growling hunger. A silence came over us as I ate and she read.

"Does it bother you that he feeds on humans?" she suddenly asked.

"Hm?" The question took a moment to sink in and when it did, I didn't have a sure answer. I'd never really thought about it in the way that it should trouble me. I mean, after Luke had told me death was necessary sometimes, I tied that thought in with "It's in the nature of the vampire to drink blood" and that little detail didn't trouble my subconscious any longer. Besides, Luke didn't go out and make a blood bath each time he was peckish, and there were really few ways to change his style of _living_, and he didn't hunt anyone I knew... Honestly, I didn't know how Luke obtained his food. There was the one time he forced the image on me to see him attack a man through his own eyes, but was that man honorable or did he deserve the fate he received? _Did_ Luke go out and slay innocents in the darkness? Or maybe he stalked criminals, or perhaps he went took donors on most occasions like in that club he'd brought me too. I looked more puzzled as I thought. That's probably a subject I should bring up with him next time I have the chance. "Well, Lucy, I don't really know."

"That sounds like a personal problem."

"Quiet." I shot back and bit into my muffin again.

The restlessness in me did not subside the more Lucy and I chatted and I ate to fill my empty stomach. Restlessness on top of rapid thoughts, going over checklists, contact info I needed, items to bring and tasks expected of me once I arrived. Too much for one mind to handle at one time... I needed to clear my thoughts _before_ I developed an ulcer. Meditation was the one way I knew to do this, and besides, it gave me something to do while I waited for Luke to return.

I opened both the front and the back doors and let a cross breeze soothe my face while the sounds of the night, of nature and city, was the perfect music for this exercise. I found the top of the couch a rather comfortable place to settled my bum and cross my legs over themselves. Within moments my breaths became slow and steady, and my mind and body felt lighter the more I erased my mental palate and relaxed my physical body while keeping the stance. I wasn't sure how long I was in this trance, but sometime closer to dawn I heard the distant noise of the oak wood that was the front door close and when I opened my eyes, Luke's own were staring back with a pleasant smile on his face.

"What have you been up to?" I asked softly.

"Errands, apparently. I simply went out to grab a bite to eat and do a couple things for you while you rested... I ended up in the grocery section of WalMart around two in the morning..." He seemed a bit thrown, suddenly pondering just how he got mixed into that situation. "But besides that, if you wanted to leave tonight, we all have seats in a private jet that can get us to Europe quick enough for me not to be boxed up because of that damn sunrise."

I nodded a subtle thank you. Luke had _people_, I could guess. "And the interview?"

"Should be on the cover of some magazine next week... I'll be long gone by then. After all of that, I bought enough luggage for all of us. We'll have to spend all day packing, probably..." More wondering thoughts.

"Don't you have a curfew, aka the sun?"

He smirked. "If you'd close the damn curtains like I had before you messed with everything, I'd be able to walk around my own home during the day out of the sunlight." Before I had a chance to ask or be astonished, he added "Yes, I don't have to sleep during the day. Sleeping is not necessary, but it helps dwindle the thirst. For my age I only have to take one a night, twice a week."

I blinked, thinking a moment on the conversation Lucy and I had just finished in the kitchen. "So, you kill humans, huh?"

"Yes." he replied rather seriously. He glanced up at my blank expression. I was not disgusted, but I was not pleased, either. What else could he do? I justified in my head. He was a vampire. He needed blood. End of story. Why did I bring it up if he were going to look at me like that; afraid that I were going to judge him over his own nature. The stony seriousness melted and the corners of his lips tilted upward again. "But I usually get the bad guys."

"Usually?" I repeated in a question, my face still slightly morbid. He paused and looked over my expression, trying to sense what I was feeling about this subject.

"Yes. The rest are people who want to die or ones the world wouldn't miss." Another deafening pause. "But you don't need to worry about this right now, Allison. Concentrate on your goals."

We gazed upon each other for a moment until my sapphire eyes drew down to something he switched into his opposite hand. I made a sound of surprise when I recognized what it was; my camera. I was a photographer, after all, and besides the giant-really-nice-and-expensive-cameras the office used to supply me with for work, I had my own bulky one with a sharp lens and great digital qualities. "My camera..."

"I picked it up from your desk you never cleaned out when I was finished with the interview..." I smiled awkwardly. The boss was probably pissed about that, too. "I have the bag as well." he added, bringing up his other arm. Inside the black bag was the camera stand, and a little case full of memory cards with pictures on them. Pictures of scenery, people, events... most of them were after I'd met Daniel and Lucy, and that meant... well, I had half a dozen two-gigabyte cards with a little bit of Danny's history on them. I knew right away who deserved those... but was my angel ready to have them? In a desperate reach of sorrow, I took the bag and the camera, looked through the memory cards, and chose a navy one to put into the camera and review the pictures. I could only look at one, Daniel, Lucy and I sitting in a booth at Hard Rock Cafe, enjoying the beer and burgers. I remembered that night.

A sad smile came to my lips and Luke kissed the top of my head to comfort me. A moment after I removed the disk and put an empty one into the camera's slot, Lucy entered the room and wondered if she had interrupted something. "Sorry..." she said and turned heel, her blonde hair swirling over her shoulders like a fancy dress skirt did when a skilled dancer spun around.

"No, no... I actually have something for you."

I jumped down from the couch and met her when she spun back around, confused as I held the camera out to her. "My photography days are over...and I now entrust this tool unto you." I said kindly. She tilted her head and looked from Luke to I, then at the camera.

"What makes you think I want your camera?"

"Oh come on, you love stealing it to take pictures. And you've been wanting to "capture me on film" forever now... Here's your chance."

I said something right, because she grinned and took the device from me. "Here's the bag with all of the memories cards and the stand... Empty ones don't have initials on them in case you run out of room on that one..." I tried to explain, leaving the detail about "I have Danny on film" out. When she found them and saw them, she'd be ready to handle them without spiraling into depression. I had faith Lucy would cherish them, not become depressed. It wasn't in her nature; she only got better, never worser. But for now, she shooed me back over to Luke and held the camera in her hands.

"Oh... turn on some lights and then it'll be perfect in here. And, feel free to be as uncensored as you want with these." She winked at the two of us and I flushed mentally. I didn't even_ want_ to glance toward Luke to see his smirk.

I was grabbed from behind around the waist and I heard a deep, sultry chuckle come from Luke as he faced us toward the camera and it flashed before I was ready. "Oh, wait. Will he show up in these?" she asked, pointing to the camera.

"I will," he began. "But it'd be great if I didn't, because when I do this..." he promptly picked me up bridal style and I clung around his neck from sheer surprise. "It'd look as if she were floating."

The camera flashed again before I was ready.

Lucy giggled at my seemingly priceless expression. "Good job, Luke... Her face is great." She pointed a thumbs up and him and he laughed into my ear.

"Is this, pick-on-Allison-because-she's-making-us-all-move day?" I complained softly, pouting nicely in Luke's arms. He threw me over his shoulder and drew a thumbs up and the camera flashed again. I practically growled when they laughed.

"It is now." Lucy told me.

All of this continued until Lucy caught each one of my colorful emotions: surprise, annoyance, then finally laughter and happiness when Luke caught me in a better mood. I was mostly happy because Lucy was so happy; that signature sparkle was so bright in her eyes... She proved every theory right about her going to be _okay_ as time went on. I knew on the inside she would mourn Daniel, that's good, I wanted her to do that; she needed to do that. She requested it was her turn to pose with me and held out the camera for Luke to handle. He took it and seemed confused on how to get back to the picture-taking screen from the review-screen.

"Four centuries and he can't even work a camera..." I whispered teasingly to Lucy. She giggled and he shot a glare at the both of us but figured it out quickly.

"That's more years than the both of you can account for. Now shut up and get ready." He said and held the camera steady. More pictures ensued.

After awhile, I could see the first rays of dawn out of a window who's curtains were not closed, and I signaled it to Luke.

"Ah, yes." he started, motioning to that window. "Be useful and close all of my curtains that I know you both opened, ladies." He playfully hissed at the two of us. Sunlight was no joke with a vampire, but I laughed more than Lucy did and we began to do what he requested together. When I wandered over to the front of the living room and Lucy went upstairs, Luke's arms slid around my waist and he stole me away from the task at hand to drag me to the study. Always the study, I thought. We might as well make it _our_ room, for god's sake. Before I could question what his motives were, he spoke.

"There's something you must see inside the box you asked me to retrieve for you a few days ago."

What on earth did he mean, I needed to see something inside? It was my box, I knew what all was in it... Apparently he'd been snooping in my personal belongings and that angered me a tiny bit. Privacy of others didn't seem like a perceivable concept for him sometimes, for the man who could penetrate any mind and its depths. The anger passed quickly and was forgotten as my curiosity grabbed the better of me and Luke closed the door behind us. I watched intently as he traveled over to the desk, opposite of the wonderful tapestry of my family seal on the wall, where I'd written my name a few days before.

The box I'd asked him to retrieve was resting neatly on top of the wood. It simply sat there, inanimate if not anything else, yet it said something to me. _Search me. Reveal everything within._ Luke's hand gracefully picked the box up and removed the lid, and he presented the container to me as a waiter would serve food. "You have not fully explored everything within, Allison."

My eyes shot up from the belongings I'd reviewed inside weeks ago. Little trinkets, nothing fancy except for the locket and the diary of my mother. "How do you know what I have and haven't looked at? Stop reading my mind!" I was angry again as he told me what I had and hadn't done. To hell with that, no one was in a position to order me to look at my own possessions.

"I haven't read your mind to know that one, love. I _know_ you haven't read all of the written pages in your mother's diary because if you had read her last entry, you wouldn't be leaving America tonight. You would have left years ago." He cocked a brow and held a serious look to his charming face. He was smiling but at the same time pressed his lips tightly together to embed his meaning into his words. His eyes did not fall from mine as I was speechless, looking over him and then the box. The diary resting so peacefully on top called to me now. _Reveal my secrets_...

A cautious hand reached out to pick up the leathery maroon material with our family crest charred into the cover. My fingers grasped the red binding gingerly, touches soft in fear I would ruin the stitching if I were too rough with it. Hesitantly I undid the binding on the side and paused before lifting the cover. I only looked within the pages of this personal diary when my heart needed an emotional release, some sort of sense of security over my mother's death. Even then I had never read passed the first entry of which we had come to America. I did not want to read my mothers words in response to her method of avoiding the curse that, in the end, had caught her in its clutches like the rest of my family. I did not need an emotional release right now, and yet, he wanted me to completely invade my mother's personal insight...

"You also might want to sit down."

I shot a glare to Luke. _Do not interrupt my moment,_ I said clearly through the blade in my gaze. His smile grew and he lowered his chin a tiny bit to obey, but he took pride in knowing he was right since I moved over toward a large chair near the desk and bent to sit down. What I rested in ended up being Luke's lap, courtesy of his lightening quick vampire movements, able to trick me into something like that. I shifted to get up again and scold about him doing something sneaky like that, but the strength of a vampire held me into place as well. I was, to much dismay, defeated. I made a feeble noise as I settled more comfortably into him, my back against his chest, my legs resting over his, my shoulder a pillow to his chin. I secretly loved it, but he would never hear it from me.

My attention returned to the book after Luke's arm slid tenderly around my waist and he stilled, waiting for me to look over the diary. I glanced over my shoulder at his face, stern and wonderful, before lifting the cover and soaking in the memories and depression of my mother's life. "_Even though I love David with all of my heart... wish that I had not married him so that my daughter would not have to suffer as I suffer. She reminds me of __him more everyday... My heart's supports are weakening with each passing day... I am trying hard for my family but a woman not bred for this position can only do so much. I sometimes question why my husband appointed me regent instead of somebody else of more noble decent." _I skimmed through these pages, since they were rather familiar to me, I thought. "_I am trying hard to hold out until Allison is 21 and can inherit the throne, but a decade is too long for my fingers to stretch out without falling into the bleak ending my late husband has come to grasp... A quiet escape to America..._"

Now came the first entry after we'd left our homeland. I recalled when this entry was written, on the plane as we came to New York and saw the Statue of Liberty and all her glory just as the immigrants from other countries did when they came to America for the first time. I recalled the amazed little girl I was, soaking in America for the first time, thinking of all of this as an extended vacation rather than an alternate life to the one back home. Luke's cold hand rubbed my side, signaling for me to go on. I hesitantly turned the page and held the book gingerly as I read. "_I appointed Luis Salvador as the regent to take care of our fine country until the day my daughter, Lockett heir to the throne, will become of age and is able to sit in the seat of the land she was born to. David is in her blood, after all, and I see with every day that she is just as ambitious and talented as he was. Until that day comes, however, Allison is enthralled to be here in America. I'll just have to see how long that lasts and she wishes for _home_._"

The next few entries went on to describe how she was able to totally recreate herself in this country; taking up simple hobbies like gardening, reading, being a part of PTA until I was "too old" and went onto high school. She described watching her one and only little girl grow up and how even though I was in a foreign country, I showed all the signs of a ruler and had traits a ruler should have. When the dates came closer to my twenty-first birthday, she began to write about getting back into contact with Luis, the man she left our country with, and asked his opinion on subjects of my return.

A couple of the letters he sent in reply to my mother, written in Catalan, were tucked safety inside the pages in between entires. I removed one and skimmed over it. _"The parliament might have some issues with the crowning of a queen who has been absent for so long, but Allison will have my complete faith and support in her goals; and besides, the people will be won over by any daughter of yours, Mary." _I smiled a little bit at this. Luis was always the charmer. _"I've expressed the idea of Allison's return to my son, Nicolas, and he was tempted to go to America himself and bring your daughter home. He lacks a passport, however, but he is probably the most anxious for her return. Old friendships are never lost, I suppose..."_ Nicki, my oldest friend, was anxious for my return? I thought hard about him in my memories and tried to picture his face clearly. A cute, baby-faced twelve year old. How much had he matured and how would he react to how much I've grown? Luke's eyes met my own and I smiled at him before going back to my mother's diary.

"_Allison's fateful twenty-first birthday draws nearer. I'm going to present her with a gift that I know will truly make her happy... I can see in her eyes and soul that she is homesick although the thrill of the American life has freed her from the jurisdictions of that at the royal palace. She belongs in the throne my husband left her and I can tell she is capable of accepting the responsibilities that come with it. It would be a crime to deny her that position when she is of age to inherit the throne. ... Next week, when she makes the trip out of the city, I am going to present her with the proposal. I have prepared everything with Luis. His response was a very gracious one, saying how if Allison so decided to wait for any reason, he would extend the offer until then._

_I hope that she will be just as excited as I am, and I will support whatever decision she makes as long as it makes her happy and fulfills her life in every way. But I know that my daughter wants to return home, and __that day will surely come_." And these were the last words documented by my mother in her personal diary. She was killed shortly before my birthday, shortly after this entry.

But I suddenly felt a sense of peace different than the realization I'd experienced the morning before.

"Oh... my." I didn't finish the phrase. My nose wrinkled with the burning, my chest heaved and my eyes welled with the overbearing emotion that would result in crying, but tears did not fall. I waited, for several moments in his arms for those tears, they were still immobile. A small humor came to my throat with the thought that I'd cried all I could the night of the funeral, and was now "empty" so to speak.

I knew then and there I made the right decision to return home. Not only because Courtney wanted me to, my mother had wanted me to, but _I_ wanted to. I'd been homesick for far too long... It was the least I could do for my people, and for my mother's dying wish. "Thank you." I whispered to Luke as I turned to him. I probably never would have ever read that final entry, never felt this overwhelming peace that washed away all of my doubts... I bent Luke's chin my direction and he kissed me deeply for several moments.

He broke off suddenly and muttered something I didn't understand. "Say again?" I asked breathlessly with the slight tilting of my head.

"El vull." (I want you.)

"Excuse me?" My head tilted further.

"És tan atractiu quan vol saber alguna cosa." (You're cute when you want to know something.)

I paused and soaked in the foreign words and realized quickly, the language he spoke was not so foreign. He was speaking my native tongue, the language of my country! I had been fluent once but a decade in an English-speaking country took a toll at the memory. I was no longer as fluent as I should have been in my native tongue. How embarrassing for me!

I sputtered out the words with the accent meant for the vowels of the language. "Bon matí de dia... sen-senyor?" (Awkward greeting: Good morning day, s-sir.)

"Terrible." He said with a laugh. "I will not speak English with you again until you become fluent enough in your native tongue again."

I crossed my arms in a complete protest, but he only pressed a book against me that he seemingly pulled out of nowhere. The title was _'Catalan for Dummies.'_

"Deixi'ns preparar-nos pel viatge." (Let us prepare for the trip.) He said and stood, causing me to stumble into a standing position as well, since I resting on his lap, and produce a chuckle from him.

I had to admit, I needed to brush up on my own country's language and that factor had slipped my mind. But he couldn't make this easy, could he?

The remainder of the day, I was going back and forth between Luke's mansion, where Luke was up all day, packing important items in the safety of the darkness of his home; and Lucy's where I mostly was packing clothes and fuzzy girly items of variety.

When I was at Luke's, I was ripping my hair out over his inability to speak English to me. Even worse, when I got the hang of understanding most of what he was saying without glancing at the book, because my first language was resurfacing quickly from the depths of my mind, he wouldn't respond to me _unless_ I spoke in Catalan. I wanted to gouge the man's beautiful blue eyes out a couple times during that day!

The afternoon grew later. Lucy was finishing up by herself at her apartment and I was aiding Luke with the packing of books and clothes and items I wanted from his home into various trunks. All of my frustrations had already reached their peak so I was relatively calm... I struggled to ask Luke what time we were leaving.

"Quina hora ens n'anem?" (Awkward: What time we go?)

"Around nine. The jet needs us before we can leave." He replied in flawless Catalan. It made me a little jealous. "Halling arranged the private jet for us, so we have quick and safe travel."

It took me a moment to decode all he said, but I heard 'Halling' in there immediately. "Taylor? I thought you didn't trust him!" I'd forgotten my language and was angry in English. "Why would you go to him and tell him where we're going? If he knows, everyone in their coven will know and it'll leak to Courtney for sure." I wanted to keep as quiet as possible about this "move" with certain people. Certain people meaning Taylor.

"I trust him, I just don't like him." he finally said in English. This subject was too urgent for trying to argue in another language. "Taylor is intelligent, and his only motive for his actions from now on will be to destroy Courtney. He's not stupid enough to post a bulletin about where we are going, and he's been hunting Courtney for more than enough decades. If sending you to to Aldorra, an small_ isolated_ mountainous country, means luring Courtney away from this huge city into a smaller place we can apprehend her for sure this time, he will allow that with no strings attached. But to make sure we don't go off on our own and ruin his scheme for luring Courtney right where he wants her, he's coming with us." The last part was a mutter but I heard him _very_ clearly.

"WHAT." I spat with flame in my voice. That little detail was the last thing I wanted, for sure! Only a few hours away from leaving and _now_ he decides to tell me? "I didn't want Taylor to know at all, now he's coming with us?!"

"I spoke with him about everything, and in the event should I not be able to protect you and little blondie, he'll be there."

"Lucy! And how can you trust him if he wanted to use me as _bait_ just an entire week ago? How do you know he won't dangle me on a rope for Courtney to claw at and something happens to me in the process of her capture?"

He stopped, before rage got the better of him. Luke opened his mouth, shut it again, and looked at the floor to try and center his thoughts. I waited, anticipating, and right when I made a movement, he looked up and walked nearer to me. "He won't try anything that will bring harm to you, Allison. He understands what I will do to him if he does, therefore he will not." His tone was steady, even; he sounded as if he was forcing himself to be that way. "If for some reason I cannot protect you, he will. I can't stand to lose you, Allison."

I was momentarily speechless. Heartbreak was in his voice and swam in his eyes, more so than the last time I'd seen him like this.

However; as sweet as Luke sounded, how he spoke of Taylor did not sound like Taylor at all. Halling protect me at my whim? There had to be a catch. "Why would Taylor suddenly start doing as we want?"

"Because in the end, he will get what he wants, Courtney's head on a silver platter. She is lethal, uncontrollable... It will take both of us if you want your friend safe, too. Taylor understands this and he is willing to aid my requests, if in return, he has our complete cooperation in whatever plan he comes up with once Courtney is where he wants her. Taylor knows he needs us for any of his plans to work, the both of us. Or else he'll just keep failing in her capture as he always has... so he'll do as we say, if we do as he says when the time comes."

"This is crazy. If you think I'm going to sit in the same area as that _fiend_ for more than ten minutes..."

* * *

"Good evening Mr. Halling." I greeted formally as I shook his cold hand.

The night was merely an infant when we borrowed a vehicle that would carry all of our trunks and luggage, and the three of us met Taylor Halling on a large landing area outside of town where a small jet waited to take us to the "Old World." Luke was very effective in his _methods_ of persuading me to act civilized around Taylor prior to arriving here. He explained if he could tolerate him, I could too. And in turn, I stressed to Lucy about how I did not want her to ever be alone with Taylor under any circumstance. I still could not trust the man completely, after what had happened...

He greeted us in the same politeness and formality, dressed in the nice suit and still used a ridiculous amount of gel to hold that wavy black hair neatly into place. "Lucas, Allison, and..." he paused when his black eyes dripped over to Lucy. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met..." he began, stretching his hand out for her to shake.

I stepped in between him and her and shot a warning glare toward the dark haired swine. "And you never will." I replied cheekily, still somehow politely. I set a hand on Lucy's shoulder and motioned for her to walk toward the jet and away from him.

Taylor smirked as he saw how overly protective I was of my friend. "And here I thought we were going to be the best of friends, Allison. I guess I hoped for too much of you." As he spoke in his own cheeky, pleasant tone, it was Luke's turn to step in between the two of us before I attempted a new theory of how to kill a vampire.

"Let's all enjoy each other's company for the next few hours." Luke eased me by rubbing my shoulder. "You've made arrangements for us before sunrise tomorrow, I presume..." he began to speak with Taylor over remaining details, and I followed after Lucy to board the jet.

First class-looking on the inside. Taylor always had to have the finest, didn't he? On the other hand, Luke did too. Look at who he settled on for a woman; nothing less of a queen. Lucy was very excited and when opening the cooler to seek out the alcoholic beverages, she found white wine and blood-red wine, or blood in a bottle. Taylor's_ favorite_. "Stick with the white bottle, Luce." I suggested to her and what I implied about the red wine she understood with a sly grin.

"So if vampires have booze of their own, you think the boys will be up for a drinking game?"

I didn't answer her and simply rolled my eyes and took a seat. The plane was compensated with heavenly chairs, fantastic for drifting away into sleep.

And I did just that.


	20. Chapter XVIII

**Note:** We are past the halfway point of this story, if you didn't already figure it out. I have the rest planned and figured, and an ending to make you all piss yourself; I just need to get it written down. And when I'm done? _Mega intense re-editing._ The entire thing, especially the beginning chapters because I had no concrete direction when I started this (some five months ago) and the exposition sucks. I probably will not post the super-polished version anywhere for someone to read and/or steal, and you can all see it when it is /hopefully/ published. Again, this is my original idea and plot and characters. I will **not** stand for anyone to copy, steal, or manipulate the idea or it's characters and claim it/them as their own. Side stories or tributes, however, are a different situation _if_ credit to the original author is given. Thank you.

And just to get your taste buds watering, as we suffer through these next few transition chapters, (which introduce you to a new setting, new characters, dumping a shit-load of boring stuff on you to make you grasp the change of the narrator...) Luke's POV will appear again. Yes, you heard me correctly. Now suffer.

**Chapter 18 – Arrival**

The infinitude of darkness that had captured my dreams before had swallowed them again as I slept on the plane. _I was wandering again, aimlessly, in this blackness that seemed to have no escape, no seam to rip through and find the light. I wasn't sure how long I'd spent in this dream...or nightmare... these sorts of things usually have no real sense of time. When the dread, building within my doubt, had nearly completely taken over my senses, a spot light appeared right in front of me. I stopped, my eyes taking in the brightness, and into the spotlight she stepped. She, the most beautiful woman and devil I'd ever laid eyes upon. Pale skin radiated, as perfect and smooth as pure white marble, her curves more perfect than anatomy described, eyes a beautiful deep blue that were like the night sky, twinkling with false stars and misleading beauty._

_She wore a wolf pelt. It was a soft and gorgeous gray colored fur that rested over her shoulders and fell down her backside, with the stuffed head of the animal looming over her head, on top of her silky curls, like a hood. _

_This was all she wore._

_She was smiling. A simple smile, on that perfect face without flaw. Her eyes blinked once just to annunciate the lashes, and she moved her thin arms to fold them under her breasts. "Why would Luke chose anyone else over me." She didn't ask it. It was a declarative statement that told me she was confident she was going to win, whatever little war or game we were in. Her body shifted, and she shrugged the beautiful fur from her shoulders to leave her draped in nothing but her lovely hair over her smooth shoulders and backside. Her deep blue eyes were beautiful but so empty and glacial; to stare into her eyes was to stare into the morose bleakness of Sheol itself. "I suppose it is time to stop denying Luke the pleasures he deserves from me... I am so very grateful that he chose me to be beautiful and forever with him. My gratitude toward him for giving me eternal beauty can only be matched by the hate I feel for the blood in your veins that isn't my own." Her voice was like the eye of a terrible storm, calm but part of a deadly force. "But I haven't acted grateful towards him for all of these years... How selfish of me."_

_She uncrossed her arms and threw a handful of her silky curls over her shoulder; then she closed the space between us by reaching out her arm and clasping her hand underneath my chin, against my throat. I knew this was only a nightmare, but I felt the cold of her hand and it was as if I couldn't breath when the pressure was applied. Were my feet still touching the ground? I gasped and tried to bring my arms up to fight her. My body wouldn't move! "I think that once I kill you, Allison, my child, my "mirror image," and I have no one else to hate, besides the vile males on this planet, I will cease my vengeance and pronounce the love Luke wants from me. Because he's already chosen _me_; and you're a few centuries too late." The pressure from her hand increased as she narrowed her blue eyes... Was I really choking or what this just an illusion? No, it was a nightmare..._ I had to remember I was dreaming, I was only dreaming!

"Allison? Allison! Wake up."

I did as the voice commanded and my sapphire eyes flew open. Luke's wonderful and concerned icy blue stared back. My body had broken into a cold sweat and I was laying perfectly safe in the fine white-leather seats of the first-class jet I recalled boarding. Luke knelt before me on one knee, his eyes flicking back and forth from left to right as he quickly looked over my features to see if I was alright. My rapid breathing still worried him, however. My own eyes darted around... I saw the top of Taylor's gelled head beyond Luke's body, the yellow artificial lights of the plane turned on because the sky was dark, an empty wine glass in Lucy's hand who was passed out just a seat away from me. I was concerned for a moment but the slow rise and fall of her chest told me she was alive.

"Your heartbeat... it's sporadic." Luke told me, eyes now glued to my heaving chest. I wondered momentarily if he could see the veins and the blood that rushed through them, if he could see my skin actually moving over the heartbeat, thumping with the adrenaline and the fear the nightmare provoked.

I heard Taylor cough in his seat behind Luke and the icy eyes ripped away from my chest. Luke turned to see what Taylor wanted, and the dark haired man held a glass bottle of blood in his hand for Lucas to take.

"No thanks, I'll pass on the crap," he replied bluntly and turned back to me.

I felt a little more relaxed the more I breathed, in and out. Luke's voice helped with that. _Please keep talking,_ I thought.

"Allison." he said, as a declarative statement to let me know of my own name. I was still a bit shocked when I stared back into his eyes, mine probably a little wide and his... a little more curious to what was wrong. Because I must have been obvious about something being wrong in the first place. "Can I see?" he asked now in a whisper. The question would have been odd if one didn't know Luke's power. Luckily I did.

I nodded once and was silent as his cool hands raised and gently touched my cheeks. I relived the nightmare in fast motion, and then I felt faint when it was done. He mouthed an apology as his touch withdrew and I lay my head against the headrest of the seat. My eyes carefully looked over his facial features, trying to decipher what he thought of the vision/nightmare. I didn't have any doubts on his part, but Courtney was putting up a threat; a threat to the relationship of myself and Luke, a relationship I wanted to keep.

The subject seemed to slip from us as Luke took a seat next to me and put a hand over my hand. "We just hit the mainland. It'll be another hour or so." he informed me calmly. I nodded as a yawn escaped and I stretched a little bit; damn, I slept over the entire ocean! "How are we looking on time, Hal- er, Taylor?"

I was surprised at his change in what to call the dark haired vampire. Normally Luke just spat out his last name in disdain. Now his words were more of a forced kindness.

"We'll have enough time to get to the inn and that's it. I made arrangements at the finest inn in the capital city, so the palace won't be that far off. I recommend waiting until night again so Lucas and I can escort you and your friend, but I doubt Courtney reached your country before us, so I suppose you going to the palace during the day and then the two of us meeting you there wouldn't be a problem." He explained.

I shifted and nodded in understanding, but there was an issue I needed to address... "No offense, but having two men who won't be seen around the palace, except at night, right after the Lockett queen returned won't be a good influence for the media. My country drowns itself in folklore; the tiniest rumor in a time of great news could stir horrible things, about me as well as yourselves. It would, perhaps, resurface legends you might want to keep hidden, Taylor."

"Are you suggesting we keep our presence unknown?" he asked defensively.

"Precisely that." I replied. "Luke, understand that there can't be a whisper about _me_ and _you_. That's another reason I want you to keep yourself a secret. My people don't need a distraction from what is going to come by knowing who the Queen has a love interest in."

He didn't seem too enthralled about not being able to reveal himself, and us, but he would abide. "Shouldn't be too difficult. We've walked through the palace before." He said toward Taylor. "We know places where we would be able to hide ourselves safely from mortals and the sun."

"Very well." he replied sharply, folding his white hand together in his lap.

"One more thing."

Both men looked toward me.

"I need to know a couple things about the nature and survival of vampires before I can make this request."

"What do you wish to know, exactly?" Taylor inquired first, black eyes narrowing to make sure I wasn't thinking of questions that no _mortal _should ever know the answers too. Luke's eyes were more capable, more willing to explain things to me.

"I know that a vampire can survive off... those bottles of blood." Luke made a small face. "Which I'm guessing is human blood." He nodded toward me. "Would the two of you be able to live off animals? Or, is human blood the only substance for a vampire to sustain themselves with?"

The both of them exchanged glances. Luke shifted so that he was facing me and Taylor leaned forward in his seat. Now I felt like a child who had asked an adult-like question and they were the parents thinking of a way to phrase the answer to my satisfactory.

"Animal blood can... aid in sustaining a vampire." Luke started carefully.

"But vampires cannot survive on it alone." Taylor interjected sharply.

"If at all; only larger animals will have any sort of effect on a vampire's thirst. Anything else is like eating dirt."

"Blood of an animal should only be drunk if it is needed; an alternate source of energy until we are able to get to the main source, a humans blood. Take caffeine, for example; it keeps one awake but it not a substitute for sleep. If a vampire drinks animal blood repeatedly without drinking human blood in between, they can become very ill."

"I thought vampires aren't touched by sickness..." I stated to the both of them.

Luke chuckled. "You also thought a vampire didn't have a reflection..."

I glared but thankfully the dark-haired vampire elaborated. "Reflections are something we do have, but curiously enough Courtney does not. That fact puzzles me... and I have no theories, so _don't_ ask." My interest for the question died in my throat. "But anyway, we are not touched by human sickness. The only thing that comes close to sickness with us is when other substances besides human blood are taken in; we get the equivalent of a stomach flu and only human blood can make it pass."

"And _allergies_. Lingering rays of sun in the air burn our insides if we breath them in." Luke told me, explaining a little more on his sneezing sometimes. The sun in the air must burn his nose. Taylor continued when he stopped.

"Any sort of direct sunlight burns us, starting with the insides and then out, but indirect sunlight is withstood except for a newborn... Sometimes certain artificial lights can make us uncomfortable, but again, that's mostly newborns."

What I'd been wondering had been answered, but why pass on the opportunity for a perfectly good Q&A?

"And aging and reproduction? Vampires can't have babies because, you're dead, right?"

"No, two vampires cannot have children. Females do not have any sort of cycle for pregnancy to occur." Taylor explained in a completely detached manner.

"And vampires don't age. What we're turned as is what we stay. Forever." Luke finished, putting mild emphasis on the last word.

"All of those other silly legends are preposterous too. No crosses, no garlic, submersion in water does not render us immobile, holy water just feels a like regular water, and we do not have to sleep in coffins; although Luke enjoys to partake in that tradition unlike the rest of us."

I glanced at Luke. He was grinning and his white fangs were perfectly exposed only inches away. My heart lurched.

"Then just how does one kill a vampire, then? Besides sunlight, the obvious answer... There must be other ways." I asked now, turning back to Taylor. He shifted uncomfortably and his black eyes darted to Luke's. They both gave me my answer with their glances and silence. "You can't tell me." Luke nodded. I scratched the side of my head and decided to change my tone to a little more persuasive style. "What if I said it were crucial to destroying Courtney?"

Luke caved first when my sapphire eyes flaunted up towards his gorgeous white face. "_If_ we told you the methods," Ah, so there was more than one way. "You cannot repeat them or record them. Ever."

I made a motion of zipping my lips together. Taylor did not seemed pleased one bit but he did not make a gesture to stop Luke from revealing more than the uptight rule-executioner wanted.

"Fire and decapitation, are the only sure ways to terminate a vampire from ever resurrecting. Stabbing and shooting heal instantly in us, but when the head is separated, not just snapped, from the spinal column, or when fire turns our flesh to ash is when we are truly dead. And, obviously, direct overexposure to sunlight."

"What were you going to request of us, Allison?" Taylor now asked. His tone was sharp, his expression blank and hard. He thought we'd gone far enough into the subject of a vampire.

I'd almost forgotten my request when all of this information came my way. "I wanted to make sure it was possible to not have to take human life for survival. I knew Taylor had the bottled blood, but not enough to last the time we'll be in my country..."

"Get to the point." the dark haired vampire snapped now. His patience was running thin.

"I don't want my people to be fed upon." I announced in a strong voice. This time I turned to Luke. Taylor would be fine with his bottled crap, as Luke called it. But Luke took live victims, I knew. And I was the ruler of these people; it was my duty to protect them.

"What about donors, and the murderers and the rapists?" he asked. His expression looked cheated, like I'd just accused him of a crime he didn't commit.

Taylor began speaking to Luke in French, a language I _did_ understand and he assumed I did not. I had been purposely excluded from the conversation at that point. "Luke, do you really believe there will be other vampires in her country, when the mortals believe in and loathe us so strongly? And if there are no vampires, there are not going to be any donors for a creature the people detest." the tall man spat at him. "Besides, you shouldn't have to listen to her. She's not your superior and you're on your hands and knees for her. It's disgraceful for a vampire of your age." He was threatening Luke's manhood now. What a conniving trick. "Vampires feed to survive, and although I've become accustom to not taking life, you haven't. Therefore, you must continue to do so. Didn't you already make her understand that?"

I rose and stood in between the two of them before Luke had a chance to open his mouth in reply to the other vampire. "I am requesting, and yes I could understand you, you sick bastard," I snapped in reply to the response on Taylor's face, "I am requesting that the good of my people are not turned into breakfast. I have the responsibility of the queen now, and my responsibility is to protect them from whatever harm." My tone softened when I turned to Luke, but I was still commanding. "Rapists and murderers are my people too, Luke. But they are going to be my only exception. _For you_." I emphasized this because I knew Taylor could go without. "And only those who are guilty and _going_ to cause harm. Ex-murderers and reformed rapists who are trying to better their lives do not fall in the category of edible."

His expression sunk now. Blond hair tangled over blue eyes and altogether he looked... punished.

"Please?" My entire tone and body language shifted, melting to the point of begging. I sunk back into the seat next to him and placed my hand on his knee. I wouldn't deny the intimacy that existed between the two of us; I suppose to any other person, wanting to know and be as close to a vampire as I had come wouldn't be something done. But I was no other person, and the fact was that I enjoyed my time with Luke as much as he enjoyed it with me, and no one would deny the two of us those pleasures, though they would try. He didn't shift an inch when I craned my head and kissed his lips gently, genuinely. "Please." I repeated, eyes locked to his, our faces inches apart. Yes, irrevocable intimacy were the words for us. His cool hand slid over mine on his knee as his expression warmed.

"Alright." Luke audited, to assure me he meant agreement to the request. A pause came between us as we simply stared, perhaps as deeply as we possibly could, into the other's eyes until Taylor clenched the silence in his hands.

"Succubus." the dark-haired vampire muttered in French. I shot him a glare and for once, I felt my blue eyes actually penetrate his black with the sudden anger behind mine. The power of the hatred inside of me startled myself for a moment. That strong surge of such a negative emotion... it didn't feel _right_.

Luke caught my attention again by rubbing the top of my wrist lightly. "I won't want to leave you alone for very long after the sun sets, so my eating habits will decrease anyway. Another reason we needed Halling to come is so I will be able to go out and eat; I don't want you left alone at any moment of the night after Courtney arrives."

"How long do you think we'll have until she figures out we're back where she wants me?"

"Probably only a few days. Maybe less." He turned his head toward Taylor. "You might want to have Julia send over a few cases of your _beverage_. Label them as wine to get them into the country or something. I might need my own supply... depending on how long we'll be under hidden conditions in the palace."

"Which will most likely be a couple months. I have already arranged for a few cases to be sent over and I'll need to pick them up at a disclosed location when the time comes... But I don't know if you can handle drinking only the minimum amount of blood for that long, Lucas; not with your style of feeding you've become accustom too. You want to protect Allison, but _you_ may just end up being the only immediate danger to her if your blood lust is challenged."

There was an uncomfortable silence that came over the three of us as Taylor pointed this out. Before we had time to dwell, I was distracted when my sleeping angel began to become conscience again. "What's all the ruckus?" Lucy muttered tiredly. "Are we there yet?" she added, loosing grip of the wine glass when her hand came to her face to rub her aqua eyes.

"No Luce. Almost, though."

* * *

The plane flew closer and closer to the border of my country. And as the space between myself and my home became smaller, I became more and more apprehensive just as well as excited. I was so eager to see all the faces that were etched into my memory, and see all of the architecture and monuments and scenery my homeland offered. To know what has happened since, if things were still the same, in a sense, or had life here drastically changed. Who would the knew Prime Minister would be, if all of the legislature was still together or if new members had carried on in the seats of the elders? Nicolas, my oldest friend, what would he think when he saw me; disappointed in my length of absence, overjoyed I had returned? I became more and more nervous as I thought over the scenarios. Then what would my people think of me, as a whole? Would they even want me to sit at their throne over them again or would they reject me for my cowardliness and abandonment? How will Luis Salvador, the man holding my royal place at the moment, feel when I relieve him of the monarch duties I was supposed to be attending too? The letter he sent my mother said he would fully support me, but had that gracious notion passed with the faithful ticking of the grandfather clock in the main hallway of the palace?

"Reina Allison, hem creuat els límits d'Aldorra." Luke's soothing voice washed over my apprehension like silky honey over a fresh roll; sweet and flossy. The flexible syllables of my native tongue awoke me from my trance; I had been staring out of the window, watching the moon-lit clouds and the darkness block my view of the wonderful Pyrenees mountains. Once I translated the phrase in my mind "_Queen Allison, we have crossed the border of Aldorra,"_ I was sunken when I could not even see the aerial view of my home as I'd always dreamed I would when I returned.

Luke rested next to me, his body was parallel to mine as I leaned over with my elbow propped up on the armrest nearest the window, chin in hand. His firm, cold hand hooked underneath my knee and I turned my head over my shoulder to flash him a small smile and prove my gratitude to him.

"I can guess you won't be speaking in English for the rest of the flight?"

His toned shoulders lifted, then fell again. He resumed his lazy position in the chair and smirked. "S'ha de fur." he muttered darkly. I shuddered at the complete uselessness I had to resist.

"Roughly twenty-five minutes." Taylor announced as he snapped his golden pocket-watch shut and dropped it back in his coat.

"'Bout time." Lucy replied while stretching on the other side of the space.

My heart flourished faster with every second for that next half hour.

But those painfully slow minutes did eventually tick away.

I had always hated descent when in a plane... Not sure why. My place had moved from attached-to-Luke's-hip next to Lucy, where she eased my discomfort with a piece of gum. The blonde seemed very pleasant, excited in a different way than I was because I'd been here before, but she hadn't. She had no idea what to expect, but the sparkle in the oceanic blue of her eyes screamed she would not be disappointed.

My attention shifted from Lucy and her bubble-popping with her own piece of gum to Luke and Taylor; they seemed to be mapping out every last detail of what they needed to do before dawn... which was very very soon. One more thing to worry myself over; boyfriend and the helping hand turning to dust when the good old sun says "hello" for the day. Luke nodded once or twice as Taylor said a few things; when his beautiful gaze shifted and recognized me staring, I looked away and flushed a tiny bit with a grin on my face.

What was it with me and acting like a teenager around him? Ah, well, least of my worries right now. That reminded me.

"Lucy, do you happen to have a pair of shades I could borrow?" I asked when turning back to her. She thought for a moment before tearing through her carry-on bag.

"It's not sunny out there, Ally." I noticed the plane stopped moving as she pulled out a big pair of darkened glasses with little stars on the side of the frames.

"It's not for brightness. I don't want anyone to recognize me." I told her while taking the glasses. "Chances are, I will run into someone who will right away. You'll see; my people are born with the sixth sense on its highest level, I swear... They're extremely superstitious, too. Very much into folklore as much as they are a part of the Catholic church..." My voice trailed as I slipped on the glasses and looked around. Were we ready to get off? I glanced at the men with this question in my eyes.

Luke seemed to approve of my new accessory by chuckling once when he looked at me. Instantly the light-hearted smile faded as Taylor rose and he followed before I could register movement from either of them.

"It's going to be close, so we have to hurry... Have the girls take only what they _need_ to the inn; the rest we will move straight to the palace tomorrow night."

I heard this instruction and repeated it to Lucy. "I have everything I need right here." She motioned to her respectably sized carry-on. Luke caught my attention and began to lead, almost shove, Lucy and I from the jet with much haste.

I had a bit of trouble translating as he spoke very quickly. He seemed so rushed... "Taylor and I have to hurry because the sun is rising. We will not be able to escort you to where we all will be staying, but you have a map and you've been in the capital city before, so I don't doubt you'll find your way safely."

Luke explained this and more to me as we stepped off the jet and hurried across the concrete toward the airport building. I glanced at the horizon beyond the mountains in the distance; dawn's early rays were threatening the peaks of those rocks far away. When my eyes lay upon Luke, I saw his smooth face slightly twisted; in discomfort, maybe more pain but not enough to be torture. I wished for a moment I could understand his pain, that of a vampire, because of those miraculous first rays of the dawn.

I glanced behind me to see Taylor instructing a group of men of a few things before quickly catching up with us. His usual calm and false pleasantness masked over his white face was replaced with almost a panic. I had to remember he was younger than Luke and it was probably much harder for him, than Luke, to be outside right now. "Hurry; the cab is waiting." The urgency of Luke's words quickened my pace without my thinking.

Lucy tugged on my sleeve as she half-jogged beside me. "What did Luke say?" she whispered in slight confusion. Right, the American friend could not understand a single word he was saying! She'd probably need me to be her translator later on... "There's a cab for us in the front of the airport; he keeps telling us to hurry."

"Sunlight bad. Got it." Her breaths were getting quicker. With Lucy being shorter, she had to make more effort to keep up with my pace; and she had even more difficulty trying to move at the speed Luke was pushing us to. Taylor began to stress the 'hurry' part of our instruction as well when his extremely long legs out-reached all of ours within a few simple strides.

Correction; two cabs waited for us in the front. As soon as I'd seen this and Taylor shuffled into the first one, Luke turned to me. I knew this would be where we parted; at least until the sun set again. There was no more time in this night. "Here is your room key. Room 43. We'll be right next door in 44." He explained in thick Catalan and held out a key card and a map for me. As soon as my hand slid around the plastic to take it into my possession, he took my body into his grasp and placed a chaste kiss on my lips.

I could hear Taylor hiss for Luke to hurry in the background as the world faded out for a moment and I pressed back against his thin, cold lips with the same urgency in mine.

"Quedi's bonic, i segur." (Stay beautiful, and safe) he muttered against me. His voice in my native tongue whispering such compliments against my body was more stimulating than I'd ever thought it to be; but _that_ would definitely have to wait.

We separated and he reluctantly turned to hurry away; he forced himself to not look back, for he would surely pause and waste more time if he did, as he jumped into the first cab with Taylor and they sped away. Lucy had already shuffled over to our cab, grinning at me with a teasing face. I grinned back with a tiny bit of bashfulness, a tiny bit of worry.

"Don't worry. They'll be fine. Where's this inn at, anyway?"

I glanced at the map and told the driver where we were headed. I might have just been paranoid, but during the ride I felt like the driver's eyes kept darting upon me like I was some sort of wanted criminal. The plaza couldn't seem further away, could it?

My leery side just wanted to get to my room and hide once we arrived to the inn; where hopefully Taylor and Luke where safely inside of. The other part of me wanted nothing more but to walk through the town and experience the economic and social aspects of my country all over again; to retrace my steps, so to speak.

How did I know my angel on earth would want to partake in the latter?

Lucy was dripping with excitement once we were finally out of the cab. I was too, but she showed her emotions far more than I did in the present time. When we reached the inn, I knocked on the door next to our room and received a quick and sharp knock in return to prove the males had indeed made it in time; then as soon as we walked into our room and my face collided with the soft spread of the bed, Lucy proposed we go out and see just what my country had to offer.

"If you expected to sleep, you thought wrong, sister. How can you want to lie down after coming to a totally different country?!" Her flurry radiated not just from her voice, but I could almost feel a tingling in my body from her positive rays.

Of course, the part of me that wanted to hide was easily overpowered once Lucy bargained in her proposal that I already had in mind, so naturally I played the role of the tour guide and translator once we left the safety of the inn. I gave her a tour of the capital during that morning.

Aldorra in one word? Breathtaking. We were a rather small, isolated country kept safe inside the Pyrenees mountains, north of Spain and south of France. In fact, in the winter time when snow layered the land like stacked pancakes, there were only two roads safely accessible to get in and out of the country. Planes were favored during that time of year for travel, only over trains. The biggest economic attraction during the heavy, isolated cold months was skiing; Aldorra was famous for its ski resorts located on the mountain tops. But once the snow thawed in the valley region, when spring and summer came, tourism fluttered as it was now. Besides being attracted for the architecture, (which in certain places could rival Barcelona, Spain), tourists crowded the capital because it was filled with vendors and all sorts of little shops and side-walk performers for the guests of the country. Cars and buses did their best to navigate through the streets laid out for them, but there was so much economic activity this time of year that certain streets were blocked off to vehicles bigger than a motorcycle simply for vendor settlement. These "selling" streets were legendary and excellent shopping resources; I knew Lucy would be in love.

I had to drill a new concept into Lucy's Americanized head several times throughout that morning: Europe was not America. There were no fast food places to eat quickly; one must sit down and make time to enjoy what they eat. There would be malls but they were not as big as the ones in America were; they were more like small Courts that supplied only the _wanted_ brand name items, that most of the time were not favored over the local vendors and small family-owned shops. Cars were a part of the transportation, but in Aldorra and its old-fashioned-like design, of one huge inner city to every twenty villages, trains were preferred to move people across the valley. Vehicles were mostly needed in the larger cities like the capital for people who traveled there daily for work against the train schedule. Besides, according to recent polls located in this issue of the newspaper I picked up on the tour I was giving Lucy, people preferred trains because of the scenery they could admire on their way through the day. The land in the valley was wide, beautiful, with open hills not cluttered with housing in every square inch my country could offer like America could be; within the mountains that served as a natural barrier lay excellent camping and hiking grounds. If I ever had the chance just to take a round-about train ride of the entire country, which would only take one day, I would just for the sake of misplaced memories.

"Okay okay, I get it... Europeans hate _silly Americans _like me."

"I did not say that! Was that really all you retained?" I countered at her.

"Okay, they don't hate me. But apparently if I act as "American" as you say I act, they will try and milk me for all the money I'm worth because I'm ignorant to the ways of the country?"

"_That_ happens in any and every foreign country you will go to. I'm just trying to warn you so you don't get ripped off once I take you to the shopping district."

The two of us took a break from our tour for lunch, and were seated outside in the chairs of a local cafe, as I went over tips for Lucy to know about my country _before_ we ventured out into the legendary shopping area I know the blonde would be happy to die within. I was enjoying a cup of the "traditional" tea. She refused the tea and settled for "the special." As she waited on her food, I glanced up the main street we were seated near.

My eyes landed upon the Cathedral. It was the largest place for worship in the country, and the only church in the capital city. People came from the other side of the country some days just to attend a service, though there were smaller churches in other areas, there was only one official cathedral left. There were no other religious buildings (like temples for other faiths) because no one was open if they had different beliefs than the Catholic (or some other Christian) church. I wondered vaguely if I would be able to walk inside that religious monument and hold my keep, maybe not after Danny... Beyond the wondrous cathedral was the Royal Palace, much further back in the distance, set upon a large hill that overlooked the entire capital city. It would take half an hour to drive there, on the good traffic day. Half an hour up that hill to the palace, and I would never turn back and hide, ever again...

"So, can you have anyone you want beheaded?" My angel's curious question broke my thoughts abruptly and I was caught off guard by the blunt nature of the question.

I laughed at her misplaced enthusiasm after a moment. "Not quite. It's a constitutional monarchy here, meaning we do have a parliament to keep the monarchy in check. Here, I retain privileges like sovereign immunity, the power to grant pardons, to appoint titles of nobility... I can also withhold Royal Assent, which means I can veto any law the parliament wants to pass, and I can dismiss a prime minister." I glanced up to see if Lucy was still following me. I don't think she was. "And more, but I don't think you need to know. Basically I'll be a ceremonial figurehead with some reserve powers stashed in my crown." I winked and made a motion to shove something into an invisible hat and put it on my head. She giggled.

When our waiter arrived with Lucy's food, I reminded her to say thank you the way I taught her to say it; in Catalan. She hesitantly sputtered a _Gràcies _out. The young waiter chuckled at her attempt, figuring out when we sat down she was not from the country, and replied a _'Era el meu plaer,'_ with a pleasant bow of his head. When his eyes looked over me, they lingered with a suspicious look on his features. I felt my heart flutter with sheer anticipation of being discovered. I was relieved when he turned to go wait on other customers.

Lucy didn't even understand was he said, but she blushed. Probably with more embarrassment than anything else. Once he walked away, I told her what he said, (It was my pleasure), and she complained about me talking her into speaking my language when she could hardly manage Spanish I in high school.

"Catalan is very similar to Spanish! You'll be fine; besides, I'm here to translate for you." I replied with a smile. "Just remember "No ho entenc," _I don't understand_, and you'll be okay. When we make our way to the palace, everyone there will know English; anyone working or living within the palace is required to know English, Catalan, then their choice of Spanish or French because the two are so similar; so don't worry about feeling awkward about not knowing five-million languages."

She touched her food as I spoke but wanted to change the subject. Just by her body language I could tell she wanted to be shopping and exploring, not sitting. She began to eat quickly, though still proper for a public place. I sighed. "So if your mother ran away all those years ago, who has been ruling your country since?"

I had to think for a moment. "Well, his name is Luis Salvador. He's the regent for my country." She seemed confused. I sighed, this was getting difficult to explain. "A regent is a person who holds the position of monarchy if the monarch is not present or of age. My mother trusted and appointed him with the powers... His son Nicolas and I were taught privately together and we played all of the time as kids. I wonder if he remembers what good friends we were..." I trailed off into thought again. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

Lucy swallowed the bit of food she had in her mouth to reply sharply. "Of course he will!" she snapped loudly. A couple next to us looked over. I begged for her to quiet down before she gave my identity away... Thankfully she did and whispered the next part to me. "You were the Princess! Who wouldn't remember being friends with a princess?"

"Technically I was "Her Royal Highness Princess Allison," and if my people want me, I will be "Her Royal Majesty the Queen Allison." But I won't bother you with titles, just call me Allison or Ally like you always have. Heck, Nicki called me Al, but I always absolutely hated it." Another thoughtful sigh came from me as I rested my chin on my hand.

Lucy glanced over me and my own body language. "Girl, what are we still doing here, then? You wanted to bring everyone here so bad; let's go." She took a few more quick bites before standing. She began to dig into her bag for her wallet, but stopped. "Oh no...we don't have the right currency unless this place accepts American dollars..." She pointed out to me with almost a disappointed look on her face.

"That is why God created banks, my child..." I said mockingly to her. I pulled out my wallet, which had just the right amount of correct currency, and lay a few bills on the table for the meal and a tip. The blonde gave me a face as I stood and told me to point her in the right direction. I strode by her and took the lead to where the map said possible banks could be located. When we crossed a busy street and came around the cobblestone corner, I pointed out a bank I knew would understand English (aka, the tourist's bank) to Lucy and she slipped inside to descend one step closer to the shopping pleasures she wanted to indulge in.

I stayed on the street, standing under the sunlight with the crisp mountainous air of early spring in my hair, Lucy's sunglasses covering the only proof of my identity for the locals who glanced upon me and maybe assumed I was someone of significance. I surveyed my people and a fair amount of tourists in this part of the plaza and how they went upon their daily routines... To the left was a busy intersection next to several little cafes like the one we came from and a few decent inns down the way. To the right were the streets too small for cars to fit in, full of vendors and people walking on foot or riding by on scooter.

When I looked ahead, at the people walking toward me from the across the street, I practically froze when my eyes caught a glimpse of him.

Auburn hair, the unique mixture of brown locks with red tint, flashed in front of my eyes for just a moment. I recognized the mess of straight, roughly styled hair without a doubt in my mind.

"We'll need to get those documents legalized for my father..." He said to a man next to him, who in turn nodded and began to take a different direction. His large hand waved the man off before the deep brown eyes looked forward again at the path in front of him. He walked right passed me without even a glance.

I turned quickly, afraid he'd disappear in the crowd. "Nicki." My voice stated his name more than called it out.

The music of scattered plaza performers, the acceleration of vehicles, the steps and conversations of the other people crowded here all faded as my voice traveled to him and he turned around to answer the informality of his name.

I removed the sunglasses for his eyes to gaze into mine and the realization dawned before his shock did. "Al."

Tears blurred in my eyes as I couldn't contain my excitement, I had to prove he was real and I was real and... just try to physically reconnect the way we've been lost for all of these years. I ran at him and flung my arms around his neck; his shock overcame as he responded to me by lifting me and spinning me around several times.

"It took you long enough to come back!" Nicolas hollered in Catalan. His strong arms did not release me.

"I know..." I replied hesitantly. "I always meant to return, I did..."

"I believe you." he answered curtly. No doubt was in his character toward my feeble excuses. I understood no stupid reasons mattered for my absence for him right now, only that I was back.

We began to make a scene to the nosier of the people; and we hardly noticed.

For several more seconds we embraced before he pulled us apart to properly look over me and I the same for him. The last time I saw him, he did not have a little patch of hair on his chin, his face as not as matured and handsome, he did not have a male physic quite like the one he had now! He was probably thinking something along the same lines of my graceful transition into womanhood compared to the last time he'd seen me. The fond way for me to greet him in our country was to place a quick kiss on each of his cheeks; I did so, and in return he placed several on both of mine as if to make up for all of the time separated.

"I'm home..." I finally responded in a whisper.

Several people stopped around us and began to examine me; probably wondering why the son of the regent was holding a woman whom they sensed was fairly familiar... "You're home." he repeated.

"És ella?"

"La Reina?"

I heard these questions from the crowd as they came in hushed whispers of disbelief, of relief... Nicolas turned my body toward my people and raised my right hand high into the air as the referee's do to the winner of a wrestling match. And he shouted, "Her Royal Majesty has returned!" in a booming voice.

I was shaking too much to decide whether the rise of volume was for joyous applause or the beginning of an angry mob.


	21. Chapter IXX

**Note:** Yeah, I know. I'm getting lame about updates again. AP classes are hard, man! Give me a break! And I know the last chapter sucked, I just wanted to get it up for you guys but I suppose next time I'll delay for a few more days to edit properly. (It's been edited now).

Anyway...I'm a geek and I totally made a website dedicated to my writing... on it includes a page dedicated to this novel thing I have going here... and that page has pretty pictures of all of the characters portrayed by steamy hot models. (Yes, exactly what you wanted for breakfast, I know).  
Find the link to this website as my homepage on my bio.

For the love of entities everywhere: Joaquin is not pronounced (Joe-ah-kwin). It is (Ha-keen) or (Wa-keen). J's are silent, _i_'s are the _ee _sound_,_ and _qu_ is a _k_ sound! Spanish, people! If you happen to be one of the people wondering 'wtf is Catalan?' More than likely, it's a mix of Spanish and French, both branching off from Latin. Imagine a more Spanish sounding accent when they speak in English.

**Chapter 19 – Return**

Nicolas presented me to the public as a champion. What he didn't account for was the amount of people who would recognize and want a piece of me right away. Whether it was to tell me how much of a blessing they saw my return as, or the rapid fire of questions toward why I chose now to return, or where I'd been or what I had been doing with all of the absence-

I heard all of these at once from the varied voices of my people as a large portion of the crowd came forward; and it was too much. The crowd grew fast, too fast; the bodies began to block the street as they gathered and cars in a hurry were honking furiously, people from higher places looking down were shouting at others on the ground and pointing my direction. Nicolas, who still had a firm grip on my hand, drug me up to the top of the granite stairs that went into the bank Lucy was in. He realized he needed crowd control after he started the stir, of course. Typical.

"Do not come upon that bottom stair!" He shouted at the front of the line, "Her majesty will take questions one at a time." His voice was loud, commanding; I wondered momentarily if he was training with the military force here. The people easily heard and obeyed him and the front of the crowd gathered with unrest on the bottom step. "You! In the street; move on the sidewalk and let the vehicles pass!" He pointed out over the people who gathered in the road; his hand left mine and he came in front of me, handling the growing crowd fairly nicely. Silence came over them as Nicolas commanded for that too. Ah, I remembered now; Nicolas wanted to train for the Royal Guard when we were kids so we could always be around each other, because royal duties on my part would traditionally separate us. I smiled when realizing he stuck with our "old plan," even after all of this time.

Suddenly Lucy came by my side. She asked what was happening with bewilderment on her face toward the amount of people who seemed to be looking right at her. Nicolas looked over his shoulder at her as she touched my arm; instantly he acted as a guardsman was supposed too.

"Step back, madam. Be on your way or move to the bottom step." he informed curtly in Catalan.

Lucy didn't move; she was highly confused and didn't have a clue to what was going on. "What did he say?" she asked me.

Before I had a chance to answer, Nicolas continued. "Please comply." He grabbed the blonde's arm that touched me and tried to move her to the bottom step.

Uh-oh. Not how I intended the two friends to meet. "Nicki, stop, she's with m-" I tried to say.

"Get your hands off of me, creep!" Lucy's face turned red with fury and resistance as he handled her.

The front of the crowd gasped as Lucy's clenched fist found Nicolas' nose.

"Take_ that_."

The auburn head stumbled back with shock more than pain; his hand came up to hold his nose and he glanced with wide dark-brown eyes up to Lucy. He looked about ready to tackle and fight her- if she hadn't been a woman.

"_SILENCI_." I spat now. My body came between the two of them and triangle to the rest of the crowd. The mumbles from the witnesses came to a stop again and I felt a small tremor within me. The wonder and awe of returning home and not wanting to be the main of attention was passing; it was time I got a little more serious. "I thank you all for your interest and support of my return. I vow, very soon, that all questions will be made clear. For right now, please make way for Nicolas, my friend and I to travel toward the royal home." My voice was calm, even; and surprisingly my Catalan was flawless compared to earlier. I bowed my head toward all of them for a gesture of graciousness, in hopes they all would have the same trait toward myself.

I hadn't excepted them to comply; but a dividing point came between the crowd. I looked to Nicolas and Lucy and made a motion for them to follow me. The blonde and the auburn looked upon each other in slight rivalry before their steps echoed after mine, from stairs to street. The people gathered began to follow as I walked the familiar direction up the streets to the palace.

Lucy was right on my side. She was obviously uncomfortable with the large crowd right on her heels and the fact no one was speaking anything she could understand. I felt for her and gave her a warm smile.

"I punched him in the face!" She exclaimed; glancing over to Nicolas. "How do you say 'I'm sorry?' because I had no idea he was someone you knew..."

"It's fine. He understands." I eased her. Nicolas came to my other side.

"Your majesty..." he began. I stopped him.

"Nick. I'm not the queen yet. Please call me Allison."

He grinned, but seemed flustered. "I came to the city with another by horse, but I have only two. Your _friend_ here won't have a ride." He glanced back at Lucy with shifty eyes. He was still subconscious about his nose; blood on the fine light color of his shirt would not be good. Thankfully Lucy didn't break him, but that was not what I wanted their first impression of the other to be. Lucy probably thinks Nick is a molesting creep and Nick thinks Lucy is some hardcore _gossa_.

"Man up, Nicki; I'm supposed to be the only woman who could beat you up." He tried to glare down at me. "Anyway, she can ride with you; my friend does not know how to handle the horses." He wanted to argue but he didn't. His steps outstretched mine and he began to lead us to a separate part of the plaza where these horses of his were kept. At least I knew my family's animals were being put to good use... Once I saw the two animals, a big black mare and a more docile chestnut, I brought Lucy and Nicolas together for a proper introduction.

"Nicolas, this is Lucy. She's responsible for my safety since I've been away and should be treated as a royal guest. She only speaks English." I told him in Catalan. "Lucy, this is Nicolas, my oldest friend."

The two of them, begrudgingly I think, shook hands. Lucy did not realize it, but Nick did not kiss her on the hand as he was supposed too for a more inviting introduction from a man toward a woman. I scolded him with my eyes. He seemed to ignore me and began to untie the animals from their post.

"Wait. I have to ride on a horse?" Lucy questioned. "I've never ridden one before!"

"There's always a first for everything." She gasped as Nick spoke to her in understandable English for the first time. I could only grin as she squealed when his strong arms lifted her around the waist unto the chestnut and he followed up in front of her. "Hold on tight or you'll slip off and fall on your head. Because we wouldn't want _that_." he teased.

"Bite me." she snapped at him and hugged his back tight, in fear of falling on the cobblestone below.

I laughed at the two of them as he looked at me oddly and didn't understand that the phrase 'bite me' in English was not to be taken literal.

"Still remember how to ride?" he teased me now as I turned to the big black animal. Hadn't this horse only been a little foal last time I was here? I shot a look at Nicolas before stroking the animal's nose and hoisting myself up on the saddle.

"Lead the way, _Al_."

Oh, he knew I hated that. Damn guy loved to tease the people he knew he could get away with it. I imagined Nicolas was the quite the entertainer... He could probably be a killer ladies man if his humor wasn't so swollen. I glanced at Nick and Lucy on the chestnut mare; she screamed and held unto him for dear life as he made the horse rear up on two legs. The crowd made room for us to pass again as he did this.

Lucy whimpered when the horse settled again and I knew that had been his little 'personal' revenge for her assault on him earlier. I simply rolled my eyes; but gasped as I realized what I'd done. Who was the only other person I rolled my eyes at when he played a prank; a man I also called my friend, a man I missed dearly because he was no longer with us?

I shook this thought from my mind as quickly as I realized it.

I would have plenty of time later to dwell on how Nicolas and everything else had changed, or not changed, over the decade. I pulled on the reigns of the black male shifting uncomfortably below me; the animal was probably just nervous about the tons of people still following us. Quickly I made a check list in my mind of proper tasks to perform in public when riding; I couldn't remember much and simply waved and smiled at them all as my steed started at a slow trot. Suddenly the journey to the palace became a parade.

* * *

I don't know how the memo spread to quickly; maybe Nicki called the palace and announced me when I wasn't looking or something, but when we arrived at the front gates of the the royal property, my home, everyone who worked and lived inside seemed to have been waiting for me.

Naturally, just because I hadn't been here didn't mean the royal home had been empty. No, there were staff and servants and such people who lived in the home or took vacancy for a certain amount of months a year. There were chefs, gardeners, maids, other servants, secretaries, some chairmen of the legislature, the regent and his family; hell, anything from the gate-keeper to the hairdresser and dress designer. (Yes the royal family had their own special person who designed clothing especially for them). Not all of them lived here, but spent a fair enough chunk of their lives here, they might as well have; and there was plenty of room in the inside, really.

I recognized so many faces as I passed them on the horse, which was now just following Nicki's horse back to the stables. Faces that hadn't seemed to change, others that had withered with age but still held features I recalled; some were new altogether... I had just as many questions for them as they did for me.

Once my horse followed the other all of the way to the left side of the grounds where the stables were built, Nicki escorted Lucy and I to the entrance of my palace. All of the people that had been outside before were gone. I still didn't know if my friend had planned this or not, but he seemed to have a certain smirk on his smooth face as he led the way to the main entrance of my home. Around the beautiful, lush grounds, up the pinkish marble steps, to the heavy wooden doors plated in iron and gold with two doormen there for the task of only opening the heavy doors that were the main entrance of the royal palace.

"Welcome home." He told me in English. The never-changing doormen of the front simply bowed before opening the heavy doors. I felt my heart flutter when the warmth of the interior washed over the three of us and we faced the giant crowd of staff members I'd seen from my horse earlier.

Many, if not all, voices declared something joyous as they recognized me immediately. Nicolas had to make a motion to them just so the people who knew me from childhood wouldn't mob me in pure excitement. He gave me a small push and I walked forward into this giant mass of bodies...

Betty, the most trusted maid and family friend; her face had aged but the loving glow of a mother was still there. Her husband, Pierre, one of the ground keepers, still had the harsh, old face of the Frenchmen he was and I respected. Their daughter Katrina I recognized, although she'd barely been out of diapers when I'd last seen her, because of her likeness to her mother; also a maid now, I noticed by the outfit. Tony came at me next, almost crying while reciting lines from his favorite Italian play; he was the dresser of the royal family and knew fashion better than anyone, maybe even Lucy. He absolutely adored the Lockett family beauty and viewed me as a canvas, and he the artist who saw it his duty to dress me and make as beautiful as possible. And there were so many others... Joaquin, still the head chef from my childhood, several other maids and butlers who had remained loyal to their duties after all of these years...

I found myself in tears, embracing and kissing each and every one of their cheeks. The people who were new or I did not recognize I made effort to introduce and try to remember the name to the face and occupation... Then I integrated Lucy into this giant reunion and introduced her as "The Number One Royal Guest" and she was taken care of immediately by the maids. As for conversation, I didn't need to explain myself right in this instant; but I promised them all I would in due time when the question came at me like rapid fire. For now, I was just overjoyed to be home, truly home, in the midst of everyone I knew and remembered and felt fondly for.

When the buzz of this collection had finally settled and the mass had dispersed, Nicolas still remained in the entrance of the enormous grand lobby. I was finally able to look around at my surroundings; drapes and carpets were different designs or colors, objects and furniture was rearranged and added, but overall it felt exactly the same as I remembered it. I was glowing with grins and tears and Nicki came to my side and directed my attention to the grand staircase the descended right into the middle of the front lobby. My eyes followed his and I quickly recognized the man standing in the median of the staircase; the man who had been taking care of my country for me until my return, the father of Nicolas, the friend of the family...

Luis Salvador. He resembled Nicolas in the auburn hair and dark eyes, but his tanned face was older, more tarnished with lines of wisdom or experience, whichever sounded better. The darker gray suit looked very classy, everything the king, or make-shift king, should look like.

"Allison Lockett. You're every bit as beautiful as your mother promised you'd be." he greeted benevolently with a smooth tone. Nicki got that from his father too; the ability to smooth talk anybody and everybody. _That_ was a Salvador signature.

Regent Salvador stepped down from the steps and walked toward me with open arms. An informal hug first, because he'd been like a father to me after my father had passed away when I was young. His embrace was secure, fond; like I remembered and wished it would be. "I'm so happy to be home." I whispered faintly to him with my head buried in his shoulder.

"It's good to have you home." he replied enjoyably. His embrace loosened and I stepped back next to Nicki. "You have missed much. My son and I will fill you in with the days to come- that is, if you are planning to take your place on the throne." His kindness paused for a moment as he waited for my reply. That's what I liked about Luis; he didn't try to force one to make a decision, but when he got to business, his entire smooth side could harden until he got the answer he knew was the truth.

"Yes, sir." I replied formally, completely seriously. "Absolutely. You've been covering for me long enough; I want you to retire sometime!" I added humorously. His laughter was a bellow; loud and genuine. He placed a strong hand on my shoulder.

"Just what I wanted to hear. If that's the case, then we have plenty of time for details later. You already know you'll need to attend some sort of public conference for clarification of your absence, and you'll have to meet with the legislature and the new Prime Minister..."

"For Al to meet and catch up with everyone she'll need to know in the future, we could hold a formal event here, at the palace; put the half a dozen ballrooms to use." Nicolas suggested brightly.

"Good idea, son." his father piped. "Still on a nickname basis... I knew true friendship never died." Luis seemed to almost jump with a sudden spurt of joy. "Yes yes, a ball or party of some sort..." I looked too bewildered to say or do anything to these requests. Luis noticed. "But as I mentioned before, we will worry about details later. For right now, I wouldn't doubt if you just want to explore the castle, Allison. You should see what they've done to the queen's chambers; your chambers, now..." His voice trailed and left me open for nothing but raw excitement. My face lit up.

"Yes, I would love that! Today had been a bit... overwhelming, already. Could I do that until dinner?" I asked him permission as if I didn't have it already. He laughed at that.

"Understandable. And yes, do as you please. I imagine the cooks are going to prepare a feast for you. Dinner is six o'clock sharp; be formal." He tapped his wrist watch curtly. "And your petite friend that the maids escorted away... they assumed you would be staying in the queen's quarters so they've given her to a room near there and might be trying to dress her in an outfit for dinner right about now..."

"Oh dear... Lucy might not like that..." I muttered quietly and began to wander toward the stairs.

Luis looked at his son and jerked his head toward me. "Be a gentleman. Make sure she doesn't get lost." I wasn't offended because I knew he was kidding and simply meant for Nicolas and I to spend time together. Nicolas complied without much authority in his father's voice and followed me. Which took effort; I was practically sprinting when I reached the stairs.

I wanted to search inside each room, admire each tapestry and painting on the walls, look outside of each window at the familiar view, run through the mazes in the garden on the grounds and admire the spring time scenery... Of course, after I saved Lucy from the French maids who wanted to turn her into a Barbie doll. She and Nicolas kept up with me on my adventure of discovering the home of my childhood all over again. The entire estate was too huge to cover in just a few hours! By the time dinner came around, I had worked up a huge appetite.

Good thing, because Joaquin the chief had put the entire kitchen into the feast they presented the house at dinner. The maids insisted everyone dress nicely and formally, including myself, and once everyone was gathered I invited every member of the staff and help to sit at the table- you know, the extremely long ones, so long you can hardly see the person on the other end if you were sitting at the head as I was. Nicolas to my right, Lucy to his, then Luis across from me, way down the way. I felt it only right to give a small speech and lead the prayer; about how happy I was to be home, how blessed I felt to receive such kindness from the household, and how thankful I was to God for presenting this table with this amazing feast.

"A toast," Nicki announced once everyone had muttered 'Amen' and lifted their bowed heads. He cleared his throat and stood, wine glass raised. "To the return of our beautiful, true queen; and hopes of a bright, prosperous future for Aldorra." He spoke in English for Lucy's sake, and his native, Catalan accent clung to each of his words. I shivered a little bit under his dark, genuine gaze that never left me as the rest of the table rose with their own glasses.

"To Her Royal Majesty the Queen." They all said in intervals. I noticed Luis way down the way; he raised a brow while holding out his glass to me. I picked up mine and pretended to chime them together, then lifted the delicious liquid to my lips and everyone seemed to mirror. Nicolas, the lush, downed all of his like a damn shot glass. The trace amount of alcohol in the wine seemed to give him the courage to finally say what he'd been wanting to say since he lay eyes upon me.

"You are gorgeous, Al."

I fully grinned and ordered him to sit down. He obeyed without a second thought, then silently cursed under his breath. "You're going to be my royal guard, I presume?" I asked him. He had been trained to follow the command of royal blood, and trained well. The rest of the table had taken up conversation of their own.

"Yes; That is my official occupation, although I've had nobody to guard until now." he replied with his own easy-going smile. "The people had begun to lose hope of your return, or if you were even alive after the death of the queen," he spoke of this carefully because he didn't know if it was a touchy subject for me. I simply nodded and he continued. "So, I've also been tutored in the ways of the monarch, in the event that my father retired or chose to pass the crown to the new ruling family heir, which by your mothers orders, would be me and the family I would create with a bride after I was crowned."

"Guess I ruined that 'King Nicolas' dream, huh?" I teased. He laughed and gazed at his plate.

"Has a nice ring, doesn't it?" He touched his food with the golden fork. "But, in all seriousness, I would give up my position if you'd come any later. Your blood is the true blood for the throne."

My blood was true for many things, and wanted by more than just my country. I thought of Courtney, of Luke.

A moment later another person sitting near me had drawn me out of my thoughts with the question I'd heard over a million times that day: "Would you tell us where you've been prior to your return, Lady Allison?" The question came from a shy, unfamiliar-looking maid. She was probably pressured into asking me from the others around her who wanted to know the same thing.

I glanced at Nicki, who had the same curiosity for the question in his eyes. Then at Lucy, who held all of the answers with me. She nodded her delicate heard toward me, telling me silently that they deserved to know. Now, when everyone was gathered, was a good of a time as ever.

I rose again, almost awkwardly, and lightly tapped my fork against the wine glass to request attention. I kept my head high, even though I felt like melting when all of the eyes centered on me.

"A lot of you..." I began in English, then switched to the native language in an attempt to impress them. "All of you have been wondering where I've been for the passed two years." I began. Yeah, this was harder than it looked. I formed my words very carefully. "Luis might have informed you about the plans that were organized for my return when I became of age for the throne, some two years ago..." I looked to him, he nodded his head in encouragement. "But when my mother was murdered on American soil shortly after, these plans stopped. The answer to the question "Where have I been?" is America. More specifically, about the reasons why, is because I have been searching for the killer of my mother. Yes, that is the job of the authority there, but they gave no effort in their job to putting the culprit to justice, and I took matters into my own hands." I paused. Many mumbles had stirred from the people further away.

"I have found out a great deal while investigating this cause. You all know the legend about the curse over my family, and how very much a reality the deaths of Lockett males are. I found a connection between the killer of my mother and the relevance of the curse; there is a killer out there responsible for my mother's death as well as my family. Unfortunately, I am not in a position yet to discuss the details or tell you how that is possible, you may think what you will, but I tell you all this because I put my trust in you as you put loyalty into me. I tell you this because I wish you warn you should this killer ever show their face within the borders of this land. I do not wish to trick you or scare you; my only interest will be your and all of my people's safety." I cleared my throat again as a resolute silence had washed over the table. "I ask you not to repeat this subject to anyone outside of the castle until I present it to the public myself. Thank you." I finished, sitting again.

Within moments, a quieter conversation returned to the table. I tuned out all gossip and focused on enjoying my meal. Lucy rubbed my arm and smiled at me; the sparkle of her eyes made the knot in my stomach evenly go away.

Thankfully, within the hour, the troubling atmosphere I had cast over the table had mostly dispersed and a more pleasant, informative subject of conversation came my direction. Hours bled away into sunset and then nighttime, but time had no real sense when one was enjoying themselves. Once it had actually begun to grow late, one by one the table slowly retreated. Either to retire, or return to duties and attend to business. Mostly everyone had left, but Nicolas, Luis and Lucy remained with me on my end of the table. Lucy was barely holding her head up at this point, because of all the wine. I could tell Nicolas was nearly at a buzz by the volume of his voice; I had taken the sober road with Luis and we laughed at the both of them.

"I think, before Nicolas does anything else to embarrass himself, we will retire. You probably want your rest, don't you Allison?" Luis offered. I nodded my head thankfully, because I was tired, and moved out of the way as a staff member came around and took my plate. I thanked him and then stood to properly bid Nicki and his father goodnight.

"Ready for bed, Luce?" I asked her when I turned around. Her head had found the tablecloth and I knew the answer to my question. With some effort, I manage to draw her up and we made our way to the room I had rescued her from earlier on the second story.

The royal family had their very own section of the castle, located in the east wing on the second story. Lucy's room was grand, in her opinion. Tall ceilings, beautiful artwork on the walls, a balcony, then a big screen TV complete with it's own living room that was separate from the bedroom with a huge wardrobe and the bathroom big enough to have a small party in. Simply put, one 'bedroom' was bigger and better than the tiny, trashy apartment that I had in New York.

"The boys were here already I see." I voiced this to address the fact all of Lucy's items and cases from the plane had made their way to the room. She noticed too, but was too enthralled with the room and had made her way over to the balcony, eager to see how high up she was. She leaned against the railing outside the French doors on the balcony and looked down at first, but when she looked up, her entire figure froze.

Alarmed, I came to her side and looked up as well. I was then equally stunned by the spectacular and beautiful design of the night sky, full of a million visible dancing, playing stars winking at the two of us. There was only a tiny moon, which made the scene even brighter.

"You don't get a view like this in New York." I told her. I placed my hand on her shoulder.

"It's beautiful." she replied in a soft voice. "I'd forgotten how many stars there were up there."

"Yeah. Pretty nice for a little country on the other side of the world, hm?" I withdrew and leaned against the door.

Lucy turned around and smiled at me, and it was the most beautiful and melancholic smiles I'd seen formed on her face. She was so sad, and so young, and sweet and innocent. In her oceanic eyes, I saw revelation and mourning, bewilderment and confusion. She didn't deserve the fate that had come upon her; her first love to be taken from her the way he had, to be reminded of why he was taken every time she looked at me or I was mentioned. How much torment had she been put through at dinner tonight, I wonder?

Soon, my angel on earth. I will avenge Daniel for us soon. Lucy had told me herself back in America, _"__I will leave the hatred for someone who can do something about this murderess, and they can channel their rage into her destruction__."_ That person was me, along with Luke and Taylor. I had been harboring hatred for a long time now, and it wasn't the greatest feeling to keep within one self. Unless I wanted to end up like Courtney in Luke's story, the woman who was twisted into a beast from hatred and vengeance, I had to channel this hatred and not let it consume me.

"I'm going to head to my room now. I'm down the hall, take a right." I made a quick motion with my arm. "My personal quarters and family library is all that's in that corridor."

"Gotcha."

"Sleep well. If you get lonely you can sneak down to my room and we'll have a sleepover... kinda." I told her with vague reassurance.

"Won't Luke be... occupying the sleepover position?"

My cheeks flushed. I wasn't going to answer but we both already knew. "Just knock and I'll kick him out for you. "Bros over hoes," or...something like that applying to women."

The blonde laughed and nodded. She hugged me tight before I was allowed to leave.

"If you need anything, anything at all, call me or grab a maid. Don't be shy."

"Pssh. You _know_ I'm not." she replied. I grinned and finally exited. Call me lingering... I just wanted to make sure she was completely accommodated and there was no confusion for such a new setting for her. But all was well, I suppose.

I traveled down the hall to my own room and was eager to fall asleep in_ my_ bed. My true bed with a pillow that was meant for me! Not many people were excited about going to sleep in their own sheets, I suddenly was.

What a day... I wanted to sleep.

I opened the heavy, dungeon-style iron plated wooden door to the room and shouldn't have been as surprised as I was to see Taylor and Luke both within, both carrying my trunks into the room through the open door to the balcony. They were efficient moving men, and I wasn't going to complain. When Luke finally turned and took notice of me, he seemed ecstatic to see me and I welcomed him into my arms. His cool frame lifted my figure and a quick kiss was placed on my neck. "How do you like being home?" he asked, a little too excitedly.

"I love it." I replied. He seemed very pleased. His touch left me as Taylor made his way for the balcony again.

"We have one more trunk left. I'll be quick." he told me and followed Taylor into the darkness of the night.

"No rush." I whispered and made my way to the private part of my room, if you could even call something so huge that, so I could change out of the long emerald green dress the maids insisted I wear for dinner. The area that was classified as 'my room' was more like an entire house in itself. There was a sitting area full of chairs in the first part of the room, a larger balcony, entertainment room equipped with all of the modern technology like TV and stereo system and DVD player, a huge bathroom with a marble design, then a bedroom complete with a closet so big, full of clothing, Lucy wouldn't mind living in. Don't forget the fancy four poster bed with antique design and dark purple sheets.

I traveled over to the giant walk-in closet and found the nightgown section, yes, a section for only nightwear, and pulled out a simple black gown made of a very smooth material I would enjoy against my skin.

Once I was changed and walking around barefoot, I returned to the front area where the two males were now quarreling over something trivial, from the little I heard, it was placement of the trunks at Luke's feet. Luke seemed fed up and turned to me to ask me my opinion, but when he saw what I wore he paused for a moment to admire before continuing.

"We brought everything up from the plane, but_ Halling_ insists that your private library would be a better place for my items, vampire relics included," he made a motion to the trunks nearest to him, "because it's a more private location for vampire items not to be discovered by anyone we would rather not have to silence."

I glanced up and Taylor. His face didn't change; he simply glanced at me, pleasantly emotionless. And, unfortunately for Luke, Taylor's mindset was more acceptable for this little disagreement. "The private library is only cleaned once every two weeks, and only the maids enter there. No one else but the family is allowed and, well, I'm the only family left... In this bed chamber, maids come twice a week to change sheets, and then once again to clean, so... Taylor is right." My voice trailed. Luke seemed to pout, about not being right, and he lifted the trunk over his shoulder and disappeared. Sometimes he acted like a small child when he didn't get his way.

I glanced at Taylor once Luke was gone. "Did you do something to him?" I asked Taylor. Luke wasn't acting strangely, just differently than normal.

Taylor shook his head. "He wouldn't stop thinking of you all day... Almost annoying, actually." the dark-haired man admitted quietly.

"I thought you weren't a mind reader." I shot back at him nicely.

"I didn't think so either. Traditionally my powers are envisioning by scent, as you guessed so long ago..." His voice trailed and a tiny smirk came to his lips. I fully glared at him when I recalled the vampire's ball I had been kidnapped and forced into by him and his little orange-haired accomplice. "But as a vampire ages, sometimes their special ability magnifies in power, sometimes they develop more. I've, very recently, been picking up on the thoughts of others. Only ones directed at me or ones of beings very close to me. It's mostly the humans mind, because I hear nothing from Lucas except when he sleeps and is more vulnerable to penetration."

"You'll just have to explain it to me another time." I cut in, though I showed interest. "I wish to retire, if you don't mind..."

"One more request." He added easily. I hesitated before nodding my head for him to continue. "Your private library... The blonde friend will only be a few walls away, I would be able to hear her and check on her to your liking and commence my research in the safety and privacy from other mortals whom you wish to keep my and Lucas' presence unknown from. I wish to know if I have permission to occupy that room for research during day or night so I might excavate my planning."

I paused and found it quite... odd, for lack of a better word, to see the slight bow in Taylor's stance and hear the humble request for permission in his voice. And just what would he be planning?

"Taylor, you don't need to ask me."

"Luke made it apparent that you did not trust me, so I was obligated to ask your permission." he replied politely.

"Luke's been gone over sixty seconds and you haven't attacked me. I_ guess_ I'm going to have to trust you; not like I have any other easy choice... But you can dwell in my library all you please. It's a room, meant to be occupied. Now please, let me retire!" I half pleaded. Taylor recognized the urgency in my voice and picked up the final trunk of Luke's and disappeared as well.

I returned to the private bedroom, turned out the light and I went straight for the comfort of the bed. A few moments later, there were noises outside of this 'official' bedroom, then I heard the door quietly open and close, and a moment later Luke slipped next to me gently, as if he were sneaking into bed and trying not to wake me because he was home late, or something like that. I surprised him when I rolled over and nestled close to his chest, but pulled the covers tight around me since he was cold and I eventually would get chills from him.

"How was your first day?" he whispered teasingly, treating me as a child and he was the parent asking his daughter about her first day of school. His fingers ran gently through my hair and I shifted further into him.

"Just look in my mind and find out." I replied, smiling against the stone of his chest.

"I could..." he started, voice quieter. "But I'd rather you tell me yourself."

"How about tomorrow..." I offered now, letting the exhaustion reach my voice with a small yawn. I closed my eyes and settled more comfortably into him, the bed, the pillow...

"Sweet dreams, your majesty." he cooed in tender Catalan. Like a lullaby, his voice delivered me into the land of dreams.

I only wish he could somehow follow me into my dream world as my protector, because, like Taylor mentioned earlier, when one slept, their mind was more vulnerable to penetration. I didn't know if my own mind was producing the nightmares, or if Courtney was somehow pushing them into my mind much like Luke had the ability to; but the hellish visions that had plagued my sleep didn't subside tonight, and the nightmare tonight was much like the one I received on the plane. I was left in dread, terror, all because of _her_...

And when I awoke in the early hours of the morning, much too early, Luke was as worried as ever. I was screaming when my eyes opened and reality released me from the hell of my dreams. Luke's hands were secured on my shoulders, pure concern and curiosity on his face.

"Allison, it's only a dream..." He told me, trying to ease me with comfort in his voice.

"No," I replied sharply in a hoarse tone. I pushed out of his gasp and rolled over out of the bed to get water from the bathroom and take a moment to calm myself. "It's a sign of some sort. All of my dreams, after I met you, have had significance and given me clues about my current situation. These nightmares are not simply a figment of my imagination to be ignored..."

Luke waited for me to return on the edge of the bed from the bathroom. My heart thumped loudly within my chest; I held my head in hopes to center my thoughts. Luke pulled me back over the bed and into his chest; that helped tremendously.

"You don't have to worry, Allison. I will take care of everything." I listened to his words, which sounded more like a noble vow to protect me no matter what. "I just want you to concentrate on your life and duties here. Don't worry about anything you don't need too..."

There was just one problem with that. Even though Courtney wasn't here yet, or, she hadn't made her presence known, what she was capable of was always going to be something I would worry about from now on, after everything she's done... And since the development of Luke and I, I would now always worry about him as well.

"It's my burden too, Luke." I told him quietly, my lips touching the curve of his collar bone. He shivered slightly.

"But it's my mistake to correct. You've done nothing wrong... nothing... and you suffer for it because of me."

"That is true." I replied quietly. It hurt him for me to admit it, and yet I still touched my lips to his skin. "But we have to defeat her together. So you can redeem yourself to yourself, and so I can be at peace with my own hatred." I propped myself up on my knees and saw him face to face now. He wrapped his arms around my body and kissed my lips. In the darkness I couldn't see his face, but I could guess it was one of guilt, mixed with affection, or some ironic twist of the two.

"Go back to sleep; I'll take over what your mind sees."

I kissed him again and then returned gently into the pillows. "Keep it clean, please." I tried to tease. He chuckled and returned to my side.

I closed my eyes, and the first image Luke decided to test from my mind was a colorful sunrise I had witnessed from a rooftop photo shoot back in NY.


	22. Chapter XX

**Note:** Honest to God, the last chapter was terrible. Taylor so out of character, _please ignore that_. I don't know_ what_ drugs I was doing... Anyway, some of the most raw and intense stuff I've ever written is coming up in the next few chapters.

I know you people know how to **review**! Thanks!

**Chapter 20 – Give to Get?**

"Mn." It was a simple sound; made by a human who was awakening from a very comfortable sleep by the movement of another body, presumably a body sharing the bed with her. My fingers always seemed to hook right around Luke's wrist when he moved to rise and tried not to disturb me. I happened to be right in tune with his movements; and when I'd made that sound to let him know I knew he was leaving me and I wished him not too; I received a long, passionate kiss as a parting gift.

"Dawn draws nearer. You have a busy day ahead of you, I bet." Luke whispered softly to me, his cold breath teasing my lips. His cool fingertips ran down my cheek. I flushed a tiny bit to warm the cold of them. "Don't tease me like that." he added in a more pointed tone. I smiled and he placed one more kiss on my forehead. "I'll be sleeping when the sun is risen, so I can lessen the need to drink as much as I can. Halling will be in your personal library all hours, if you need assistance. I will come back here right after night comes again, I promise."

His tone, which sounded of loyalty and protection, reminded me where I was and why I was here. I finally opened my eyes after a short pause. "Is she here yet, Luke?"

"I don't know." He answered honestly. "I will find out, though. You'll be the first to know."

"Fins aquesta nit, el meu amor." I threw at him in a sultry voice.

A third kiss accumulated into my parting gift. After he left and closed the door behind him, an absolute silence filled my bed chamber. I rolled over in the place Luke had been all night, in an attempt to feel the coolness of the sheets and pretend like the missing piece I felt within me was him.

* * *

That was, until the sun rose, and another day in a life reciprocal to my place with the beings of the night began anew.

I was almost afraid to go back to sleep after Luke's protection had left my physically; I felt the rays of the dawn on my backside, and watched the room slowly lighten with the sun. I rose and decided I'd go and reminisce in the private library of the royal family. I changed into an outfit that was comfortable, not exactly sophisticated, and made my way across the hall. My mother's diary was in my hand.

The library of which I entered was much smaller than the 'public' library in the royal home, which was downstairs. In fact, it wasn't really a private library, so to say. It was an old room off-limits to anyone besides the royal of blood and the maids who cleaned it because it held records, precious documents, diaries and journals full of personal accounts of each heir's life and time of rule, favorite and treasured books of many of my ancestors, and more. I guess one could say, the royal family's library held the history and secrets of the family. It wasn't a public affair and honestly, I held second thoughts about Taylor having access to all of this private information.

The antique door to the room had a lock on it that had always been broken. I slipped inside quietly. Not to my surprise, the room itself was dark with the curtains closed, the only light was on the other side of the room given from a lamp on a desk where a dark body sat. Taylor, his wavy black hair and back facing me, hunched over something at one of the desks in the room. I reached over to a switch and turned the main overhead lights on. He made an unpleasant noise of surprise from the flood of light, but did not move.

I ignored him for a moment and looked around the room, taking in the familiarity. To the left were several book shelves with the books and journals and diaries. To the right of the room were the desks, cabinets and chests filled with certain family artifacts, like swords or retired crowns of the kings and queens before me, or personal things of that nature. On the walls hung tapestries, paintings, mostly of my ancestors or my family seal. In a corner were the large, older paintings in their frame, stacked one after the other and covered halfway by a sheet to keep the damaging sunlight away. Even with the maids cleaning away the dust, the place looked like it was forgotten, or untouched for awhile now. I admired items in the chests before browsing the shelves...

I recalled a time, back in the states, when I had wished for these journals and diaries so I could have read them and found clues toward breaking the curse. I now knew that the curse hadn't really existed in the way my mother and many before her thought it did. Again, my thoughts drifted to Courtney V. Seeing an empty place on the end of one shelf, I carefully placed my mothers leather diary within the several other journals; right where it really belonged.

I moved along to the back of the library, passed Taylor, and looked at what was on the wall before me.

Covered by a large, faded blood-stained yellowish bed sheet, which I yanked on to fully reveal what the wall sheltered, was the art of the Lockett Family Tree. The sheet had been the one used to clean up the body parts of several Lockett kings; someone along the way decided the sheet was a historical marker of the curse and shouldn't be forgotten. Oh yes, had I mentioned? Back before this room became a library, before the rest of the castle around it had been refurnished, it had been King Stephan IV's study; the one he was murdered within. I'd been educated of my family's history enough to know which Lockett kings had been killed, which deaths had looked like accidents, who had died of sickness, and the wives that had committed suicide in response. No one had ever known Courtney was responsible, though. Not until I pieced it all together and Luke revealed that fact to me. As far as my country was concerned, they thought whomever I married would die by the hand of the _curse_ as well, as time went on. Anyway, the wall itself was a giant canvas, and after each generation produced a new heir and that heir married, a professional artist would paint on the next little pictures and names, branching off from the one above it, thus forming the Lockett Family Tree over several generations. When I was a child and my mother had introduced me to this room, I'd never looked above the generation before my grandparents. I saw now that the starting point, way at the top, began with the first Lockett who became a king, Stephen IV. Just as the legend told it. I squinted my eyes to see the faded image of mortal Courtney at the very top, connected to her king's little portrait by a vine. I noticed the 'Lockett' behind her name had been ripped through, a faded red 'V' was written over it. I now understood what that meant too. I looked to the single branch that sprouted from their marriage; below it was the daughter of the king, Helena, married to Adrian, they produced the king Stephan V; just as Luke had told me. The design lingered all the way down to the empty space for myself. As I stared upon the branches of my family, everything made so much more sense, everything fell into place. The mysteries had been solved. Now, the next step was to rid of her; the curse and the murderer.

I clenched the dirty sheet in my hands and finally looked away from the awesome wall. Taylor was now staring at me, when my eyes traveled to where he was sitting. His coal eyes flickered to the sheet in my hands, and then he stared at me again.

"If you smell the blood on this; can you see their murders?" I asked him in a quiet, emotionless tone. His pointless stare darkened to a heavy drone.

"I can smell it from here." he replied with aggravation. "So, yes." He whispered after another moment. He turned back around in his seat, crotched over whatever was on the desk, and became emotionless again.

"Is Rebecca's blood on it?" I asked now, simply to spite him. I doubted he even listened. I didn't think such a simple tease would pierce a hole in his cold, scheming exterior.

But it had.

I blinked,and then in the next moment I was choking as a cold hand clamped around my throat. My body numbed and became immobile from the shock. I couldn't tell if I was breathing... Cold coal eyes stared death into me; Taylor's jaw was shut tightly, I could see the rigidness of his face clearly from how close he'd chosen to come.

"I may be in your home, under your grace, with your permission; but I will _not_ tolerate to be spoken to like that." He hissed at me, jerking my body just slightly with each word he emphasized. "Luke will not like it at all if I have to show you your place, wench." He released me and I stumbled back. The sheet was forgotten as I cradled my neck and choked for air. The tall man straightened his collar, fixed his cuffs, then corrected his posture and spoke to me in an even tone again. "Let's be sensible about this, Allison. I'm already doing enough to throw my dignity at the feet of a woman; being here, protecting whomever you wish me to protect, just so I can have your and Luke's damned cooperation. Don't make me regret keeping you alive."

If there wasn't that tiny detail in this situation that said he could kill me, and get away with it, if I opened my mouth and let the fire of hatred I held for him consume him with my spiteful words, I would have done just that. I couldn't figure out his motives, however. He wouldn't just belittle me for the sake of belittling; Taylor was more precise than that. He played a mind game, but what was he playing at now as his eyes seemed a darker shade of black, glazed over with stingy confusion and bitterness? I didn't come to a conclusion as he returned to his seat and his complete attention was captured by whatever was on the desk before him, once again.

All thoughts of Taylor, the very unpleasant and confusing ones, left my mind when I slammed the door to the library behind me and continued down the hallway to check on Lucy in her room.

I found her bed empty, but the bathroom was occupied for several minutes. I waited until she emerged, and when she had I startled her.

"Oh! Ally; don't sit there so still and quiet!" she yelled at me after I'd said 'good morning' and scared the wits from her. I apologized and we made our way down to breakfast together. I would never tell her that I'd almost gotten lost on the way; almost everything looked different and had been redone or rearranged compared to twelve years ago...

Breakfast was just being placed on the table as we walked into the room. I know I said breakfast, but really it was the equivalent to a morning buffet in the really fancy five star hotels. There was a large variety of foods, anything from eggs and bacon, to fruits, yogurts, specialized meals with a touch of the local spices and recipes... and there was enough to feed half of the capitol. I wondered momentarily who all would be eating and if this was too much, as the waiters set each plate or tray on the long table in the dining room. It was set up like a buffet, I told Lucy as she seemed confused on what to do next. I took a plate from a waiter who offered one to me and began browsing over the food; it all gave off wonderful aromas to my senses. "We hope the cooking is to your liking, you highness." One waiter said to me with a slight bow. Chef Joaquin certainly did train them well, I had to admit.

"If Joaquin is still the chef, then I already know I will." I replied. He honestly seemed surprised that I'd spoken to him. I wanted to get the 'she's the queen, on a higher level, therefore do not expect be to spoken to from her and grovel in her footsteps' idea out of all of the new staff's minds as quickly as I could manage. I was not that queen, or that person. I took a quick bite of the peppered potato, so delicious. "Compliments to the chef." I told him now, and then I laughed. How starstruck he was to have the queen laugh with him.

I continued on down the line, Lucy close behind, and found a place to sit at the other end of the table. The blonde and I began to talk, about everything and nothing. Her Catalan phrase of the day was 'A pleasure to make your acquaintance,' which she would need to use more later on when I would have to meet the people of importance and make a good impression, like Nicolas and his father wanted me to do right away with that ball...

The morning grew later, and when Nicolas and several others all appeared for a quick bite to eat, I was obligated to stay at the breakfast table for the entire time and make conversation with everyone I could. The house did not have to eat together for any other meal but dinner, and even that was only certain days of the week. One thing was certain though; if you missed breakfast, you had to wait to eat until lunch or dinner was served or else go out and get your own food from the city. That meant in the hours of morning, I managed to see pretty much everyone who was living in my home when they came to enjoy the most important meal of the day.

Once breakfast was pretty much over and done with, three hours later; Lucy had longed excused herself and disappeared to go argue and collaborate with Tony, the Italian clothing designer and appearance coordinator, Nicolas was the only one who remained by my side during this time; I watched the waiters work together to clean up. One would hold a large plastic bag next to the table, the other would simply dump all of the remaining contents of food in the tray into the bag.

I was positively stunned when I watched this happen.

Nicki had occupied himself with reading and filling out some sort of legal document. I touched his shoulder and did not peel my eyes away from what the waiters were doing. "Nicolas. What are those waiters doing right now?" I asked him simply.

He looked up, sensing something was apparently wrong with something with the waiters from my tone. "They're...uhm, cleaning up?" he replied, slightly confused. There was still so much food on the table... surely they were not planning on throwing that entire dish of omelets away? When the man did pick up the dish and throw the food away, I snapped.

"You meant to say wasting food. Leftover food we used to take to the cathedral and supply the soup kitchen for the immediate families who needed a meal everyday." I told him sharply.

I believe he gulped. The waiters overheard something in their actions was wrong and they stopped until I addressed them. "Uhm, yeah, we did do that, some time ago; we stopped because of lack of helping hands... and several other reasons I'm sure you don't care for." He finished quickly.

"Yes, I don't care for the reasons. What do I have planned today?" I asked him, still staring at the help.

"Well, no activity is actually planned; father just wanted me to get you up to date with our country, _in detail_, and have you make a public appearance so you can reacquaint with the people again before that ball we mentioned yesterday, which he wants to have this Saturday evening..."

"Perfect." I told him and didn't let him continue. "What are your names?" I asked the two waiters. They seemed ready to wet themselves with my curt tone of voice.

"I'm Jose, this is Rafael..." one of them whispered, heads bowed. I snapped my fingers and they looked up again. As they should be, not constantly bowing; I know that strained the neck and back, after all.

"Jose, Rafael. Throw away another plate of perfectly good food and you'll be fired. Instead, I want you both to get the kitchen staff to assist you in wrapping up every leftover and have it ready to be taken into the city in the next ten minutes. Nicki," I waved the other two off as I turned to my friend. "Go to the garage and pull your favorite car around to the front."

"What makes you think I have a car?"

"I know your family owns a few vehicles. Your father is the _regent_, Nick. I'm a terrible driver, so would you pick out the one that can hold all of the leftover food and a few helping hands for us?"

He saw straight through my plan and complied, almost too happily.

Within the next ten minutes, Nicolas chauffeured myself, Jose, Rafael, and a couple other servants I grabbed from their duties into the city. The aroma of the breakfast filled the car intensively.

"The kitchen is open from, 7-10am, 5-8pm, right?" I asked Nicolas, looking at what time the clock in the car read.

"Yeah, but I'm sure they'd extend the time for you." He added, dark eyes never leaving the road.

"They shouldn't know I'm coming." I shot back, shooting him a glare when he fully grinned.

The helpers in the backseats looked bewildered and confused, almost scared. I finally explained to them what they would be doing if they hadn't figured it out or anything was unclear. They seemed to be more relaxed by the time we arrived.

The kitchen was just an old tavern that had closed down next to the cathedral a long time ago and had been used as the soup kitchen ever since; open to all who needed a meal, including families that just needed help with feeding their family for a week or two until the next paycheck came or something like that. There was no real limit on poverty, but kids walking around looking for free samples had been discouraged back when I had volunteered here weekly as a service to the common people. Since the palace was right up the road and most certainly was not poor or needing a meal, it only made sense to give back to them. I wondered how long the palace had stopped delivering the extra food from meals to the people who needed it, but I didn't ask or spend too much time on details. If the tradition was lost, I was starting it up again now, as Nicki pulled up next to the tavern and parked on the side of the street.

I helped myself out of the car and signaled to the servants I brought to help to carry in the dishes of food while Nicki and I handled the plates. "I suggest spooning the food on the plates so you can give them to the people personally and get to know them." he suggested. I easily agreed and thanked a common man who had stopped to hold the door open for us.

"Was that- .. ?" The woman next to him began to ask. I didn't look back to see the evident shock or confirm their assumption.

The inside of the old tavern easily told its age; dust floated in the air, windows were open and air condition did not exist within the old walls. Old picnic tables and a variety of old chairs taken from random places accumulated to seat the people. In total, there were maybe three dozen people seated at these tables; some left and others had just arrived to grab a quick bite before the kitchen closed. At a quick glance, they were a variety of clothing-layered people who looked hungry and rather grim.

"Mommy, I don't _want_ to eat this crummy food." I passed a little girl on my way to the bar table, where the food was set and served. The child had dark brown hair that flowed out around her little scarf; she crossed her cute little mitten hands over her sweater and made a face.

"It's only until tomorrow, when your daddy gets home with good stuff." Her mother replied in a rather exasperated tone; as though she were tired of her daughter's complaints or tired of being in the situation of eating here. I couldn't blame them. My servants had already began scooping the food unto plates and handing the plates to the people who were patiently waiting in line. Nicki came over to me with three plates balanced on one arm. I smiled at his 'talent' and began to distribute the food to the people who had been sitting. First was the little girl and her mother.

"It's not crummy. I promise." I told her with a wink. The cutest smile, with missing front teeth, was the child's thank you.

Very quickly, with Nicki and my servant's help, plates of the fresh food from my palace were being passed along down to every table and every person. I walked over to a table in the corner that seated four men who seemed to be lost in conversation, or kept to themselves. I couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation as I approached with plates for each of them.

"Is it true that Allison Lockett returned? I heard about it but I wasn't sure if I should believe the rumors..." One of the unshaved men began in a whisper. I waited to hear the response before I set the new food down to replace the 'crummy stuff' as it was called.

"Of course it's true. I saw her myself yesterday." Another across from him replied bitterly. "And I watched her march up to the palace without an explanation, after _years_ of absence, probably to be pampered and treated like _God's own angel_, dressing in silk, eating like the queen, while we're stuck in here with this crap." His wooden spoon stirred the gray looking liquid in the bowl before him, he moved a few of the old potatoes and meat around within in. The dull appearance of it hardly looked inviting for eating.

"That sounds awfully unfair." I told the man, unable to restrain myself from entering the conversation. His friends looked up at me and became silent with wide eyes. The bitter man had his back to me and did not look up.

"Damn right it is." he replied in a beat tone. He still wouldn't look up.

"How about you enjoy some of the food I do, then. That should even out the boards a little bit." I set a plate full of every variety of food I had enjoyed for breakfast in front of him; his eyes traveled up my arm until he reached my face. All blood had drained away and his mouth dropped in a speechless shock as he recognized me. I simply offered him a kind smile, set plates in front of the people he was talking too, and continued to the next group seated. "Seven more over, Rafael." I called to my help across the small tavern.

After everyone in the place was served and I had accomplished causing a great stir, Nicolas and I sat back and watched our people as my servants monitored the doors and made sure it was only people eating at the kitchen coming in and not anyone wanting to look at me or interview me or things of that nature.

"I think you've made a good impression." Nicolas told me honestly, leaning back against the empty bar shelves behind the bar table. I rested forward on the bar and thoughtfully agreed.

"So, does this check off 'public appearance' from you and your father's little list for me?"

Nicolas laughed. "Yes. At least, until the ball tomorrow evening."

I wanted to groan, but restrained myself. "I'm guessing I'll have to attend the church service the next morning as well; hm..." I more stated it than asked. My mind was caught elsewhere, thinking how I would be able to attend the church service in the Catholic cathedral. Not with Daniel executed the way he was. Lucy didn't have that image to haunt her if she ever decided to go to church. I, on the other hand, was obligated. It made me once again wonder if Courtney planned things this way, in order to set up my suffering for more than just physical torture and death. I shivered when I thought about the possible scenarios if Courtney ever got her hands on me. And I wasn't just thinking of my own death as the end; my death with no heir with my blood meant Nicolas would take the throne, and while he was a fine person to lead, he wasn't born to do it, not as I was. No more Locketts would eventually lead to a decline in my country in some aspects until another family with the same genetic power came into the picture.

My death also meant I left Lucy all alone. And Luke, what would Luke do with my blood on his hands? Would he shed his own for me and die, would he continue on?

I didn't want to think about any of the scenarios after my death.

"Allison, are you alright?" Nicolas' voice brought me out of my dead stare and morbid thinking. I looked back at him and smiled.

"Yes." I replied with a sigh. I was then surprised when the brown head of the little girl from earlier popped up on the other side of the bar table.

"Thank you miss Queen lady." she said, mixing up her formal titles for a female. I thought it was the cutest thing in the world and I made an 'awh' sound. Her mother appeared behind her and bowed her head just slightly toward me before taking her daughter into her grasp.

"It is wonderful to have you back, Ms. Lockett. When it comes time to vote if you should take the throne or not, you will have my complete support." She offered kindly.

I _heard_ Nicolas stiffen in the background. I raised a brow toward her words. "Why thank you, so much." I began kindly, but my voice then demanded a little information. "I had no idea that somebody had the right to vote for which heir takes the throne."

"Yes, the members of the new legislature passed a law just last year, that if the rightful heir to the throne is the last heir and is absent for over a years time from this country, that the members of the legislative, prime minister and the regent will get to vote if the heir will be crowned as the monarch; and if not, the regent should appoint a new royal family."

"I have a hard time believing Regent Salvador let that law pass." I replied in a sugar-coated voice that was sharp on the inside.

"That was the big issue; he did try to veto it, but the legislative ruled that since he was only regent and not an actual crowned monarch, he could not veto a law that included his assistance to the final outcome."

Only Nicolas behind me was able to see my white knuckles as I gripped the edge of the bar table in complete anger. My voice remained forcibly calm, however. "That is quite an interesting little fact. I learn something new everyday." I said at first, hiding my bitterness toward the new legislative. "Thank you for sharing, I hope you enjoyed the meal."

"Compliments to your chef." she replied. The little girl waved over her mother's shoulder as she turned to leave. I waved back but could not control my anger when I turned around to face Nicki. His face was a little paler than I recalled it being a minute ago.

"There's a chance I won't be crowned as queen of this country?" I began speaking in English to him, a language not many on the common people knew besides Catalan, French or Spanish.

"I was going to discuss new politics and important people with you after this. Father wants you to know everything before the ball so you can make a-"

"_That_ is why you and your father have been pressuring me to make such good impressions." I cut him off and said to myself.

"Yes." he replied, looking to the ground.

"Nicki."

His dark eyes raised and rested upon me. "Yes, Al?"

My little hinges within my mind were beginning to turn. "Am I going to get a say for the planning of the party?"

"You are now." He retorted. "My father, Tony and Lizzy are the experts for planning these sorts of things; I just make the calls and order secretaries to send out invites."

I turned my back to him and looked over the room. I folded my hands together as I watched the public eat, talk, leave... New ideas sprung into my head instantly on ways I could give back to them; these people. Naturally, if I were good to them, the more important people whom I needed the support of would be drawn.

"Let's go." I commanded him coolly. Nicolas and I had a lot of work to do in the next forty-eight hours or so.

* * *

When we all arrived back at the castle, I had traveled to the dining room for lunch before Nicki wanted to inform me of everything he and his father wanted me to know before the ball the following evening. This included laws, people, reasons why I needed to know and impress these laws and people...

"Come, to the record room." From the dining room of which he stole me from before I could eat, he led me around the corner, into the hallway that held a desk on one wall. Within it, he pulled out a notepad and pen. "Here; take notes to everything I'm going to tell you." I raised a brow and crossed my arms. "You're going to need it. You've missed _a lot_, Allison. You think you can remember the names of all of the chairmen on the legislature, every law they've abolished and passed since you've left, _and _their families in one shot? I don't think so."

"Fine." I spat, taking the notepad. He mocked me playfully; I didn't want to be in the position of the one being pampered. I wished there was someway Nicki could just implant all of his knowledge into my head, and we could move on to the next step of my return.

We began to walk up the stairs toward the room with the records in it. "Hey, don't shoot me." He surrendered toward my cold shoulder. "Father wants you to know everything I can cram into your head before you meet everybody in person. He said he wants you to make a good impression on the important higher-ups as well as the public."

Regent Salvador did know what was best... What he wanted was true. "Enough about the good impression stuff. Start with the legislature." I had a feeling I already wasn't going to like them based on the law they passed about _voting_ for my throne. The queen, being voted into her own crown? I knew what law I was going to try and erase after I was where I should be. "Who has left and who has replaced the old? And I believe your father mentioned there was a new prime minister..."

"Yeah. Henry Davidson was elected the new Prime Minister only two months ago." The slight mocking in Nicki's voice when he said this man's name made me raise a brow.

"Sounds like an Englishman." I joked.

"You are exactly right." Nicolas replied seriously, no longer holding back his need to make fun of this man with me. "In fact, pretty much the only reason he was elected was because he didn't come from Aldorra." He began to elaborate. "Henry claims he visited the country four years ago, fell in love with the land and became a citizen three years later, then was elected Prime Minister a year after that. Oh, and get this; he's a year younger than I am."

"Our newest Prime Minister is long-term tourist who's only twenty-_four_?!" The Prime Minister was supposed to be the head of the legislature; though he did not _technically_ have to be a part of the cabinet... But that position went hand and hand with the monarch; and if the position was assumed by someone who simply charmed his way into office and knew nothing of the country... Just _what_ was going on with the government of my country?

"My words exactly. The cabinet is still trying to figure out how he managed to gain so much popularity among the people. He's not a complete joke, though. He knows his way around politics better than anyone I've ever met, including my father. I've met him, I respect him, I might go as far and even say I like the guy, at least compared to our new cabinet members." Another tinge of disdain on Nicki's tongue. By his tone, I knew things were not as smooth as I wanted them to be government-wise. "His predecessor quit; because of conflicts with another cabinet member. Truth be told, the legislature has been on the rocks since the death of your mother; several of the loyal elders in the cabinet you would remember simply left because their loyalty died with the queen and they did not have hope you would return. Unfortunately, they've been replaced with a bunch of mongrels, in my opinion. My father has no patience for them; and Prime Minister Davidson and I are working on flushing out any corruption that might exist in them." I noticed his voice was quieter now. He looked around the empty hallway before continuing; he was still leading me around the palace as he spoke. "None recently, but lots of scandals were threatening the position of Regent in the previous years because of lack of heir and a royal family here, in the office and palace. Before you returned, the new chairmen had pressured my father into relishing the Lockett family as the royal heirs of the throne and pass the crown down to me as your mother's will instructed, should you not have chosen to claim your position. My father declined the notion, obviously; one because he was convinced you would come back, two because he knew it was a plot for them to take advantage of my inexperience and youth and get away with whatever they wanted. Now that you've returned, hopefully everything will smooth out."

I hoped the same. I listened intently to Nicki as he told me of many things, about the people, about the economic situation, about everything, really. We had found opposing seats in the record room to sit and continue conversation in. He drew the files on all of the new cabinet members and I made little notes about each; who I should watch out for, who I would like, who I would want to punch. Nicolas then tried to recall all of the laws I should know have changed or been modified, what loopholes the new cabinet members were squeezing through with his father to pass most of the new laws... and so on.

After awhile, the subjects that covered a colorful amount of my country switched to a more personal few. Nicolas began to tell me all about himself and what he had done with his life after I'd gone. He told me a little bit about his reaction toward my mother's death, which was familiar loss and immortal respect for the woman; (back when I sent Luis a newspaper article of her murder to inform my country of their queen's death, but then I disappeared further into the American society and avoided returning). I told him little of my life during this time; when he asked of me, I gave a simple answer and then prodded a subject about him again.

After hours of simply talking like this, the conversation plunged straight into our romantic lives. I, of course, had to admit I was single. (Telling Nicki I had a secret vampire lover would not pan over too well) and I was surprised to know he was also single.

"Are you trying to make me believe you're twenty five and not married yet?" I teased. I wanted to get away from talking about me and my personal antics and talking more about him. I had too many secrets to hold to be put on the spot to answer questions. I didn't want to lie to Nicki more than I had too. I stood and made my way over to a table on the other side of the room, near the window to play with an object that had caught my eye. "I thought you would have used that smooth talking skill of yours, that you get from Luis, to get you a wife and a few mistresses by now!" I laughed.

"Hey! I would never do that." he defended with a tricky smile. "And you're twenty three and not married yet! Queens inheriting the throne should have married within the year after they become of age, according to tradition. You're two years late." He stood as well and came over to where I was.

"Let's change the subject." I replied, a tiny bit of exhaustion in my voice. I did not need to worry about marriage on top of everything else. The finger-pointing game just got on my nerves right now.

"Lets." he said simply. In two swift moments he turned his body toward mine; I felt as if we were going to collide, so I took a step back and my backside greeted the wall behind me. Right where he wanted me, apparently, and his left hand found the wall my back did and he leaned in with an intimidating posture. "Al," he began smoothly. I had to bring up the smooth talking skill, didn't I? I raised a brow, daggers in my eyes toward his sudden change from moderate behavior to suggestive. His ran a quick hand through the auburn locks to move them away from his dark brown eyes, which rested on me precisely. "Are you going to tell me where you've been and what you've been doing prior to arriving?" Nicolas asked me. Apparently he'd noticed I'd been avoiding the subject of myself.

"You've heard the answer to that question already, I've been in America, investigating." I replied. My voice hadn't changed in tone, but I felt quite... uncomfortable to be trapped as I was. Nicki didn't know it, but I was with another man, and loyal to that man.

"I got that part. Now tell me details."

"Nicolas, it's my business." I told him sternly. The authority in my voice was enough to make him move; I walked out of the corner and attempted to avoid the subject by walking across the room to a bookshelf.

"And I'm your friend, Al. Maybe I could help, if you let me know what's going on. You said there was a connection between the curse and your mother's murderer..."

"Stop." I swallowed and took a moment before responding to his plea. "I don't want to talk about this." I couldn't tell him the truth. Not yet. If I told him about Luke and vampires and Courtney, there would be no safety left for him. If a safety existed around him at all; I knew Daniel never had a safety barrier and that was my fault. Uneasiness swept through me when I thought of Nicki in the same pose that Daniel had been found in; I looked away from him and his dark, pleading eyes. Eyes that wanted me to tell him everything, wanted me to hold no secrets just as we did as children... But I had to censor myself. "I haven't found out anything besides that there was a connection; the investigation was a giant dead end, so I came home. _That's it_."

"Fine." was his simple, nonchalant response, detached from interest or care. I didn't know if he bought what I said or not. Probably the latter. For now, he backed off the subject because it was obviously something I did not want to discuss.

The awkward and uneasy silence pitted between us was broken by the chime of the wall clock in the room.

"Oh, that clock is an hour behind..." He remembered quietly, then glanced at his wrist watch. "That means it's really eight-thirty... We're very late for dinner." He added candidly, without much care. I found myself very angry with that piece of information, however, since I was starving because Nicolas wouldn't let me eat lunch. He excused himself to turn-in with a very limited amount of words. "But you can take care of that yourself, your_ majesty_, because I'm going to turn in now." The absence of fondness in his goodnight gesture almost hurt me. I grabbed my little notepad and marched down to the dining hall without him.

He was being impossible and unconcerned and insistent... Not things Nicolas was. I hadn't even considered the fact that maybe he felt hurt because I wouldn't tell him the truth, and he was suddenly being very unconcerned with me now to 'punish' me or something... I didn't know how that boy's mind worked, nor did I want to.

I descended into the dinning room to discover dinner had already been cleaned up and if I wanted something I'd need to ask Chef Joaquin.

I thought this was a great idea, since I've been wanting to visit with Joaquin and catch up with him. I was highly upset about Nicolas' behavior and the subject he wanted me to reveal in the record room, and how I had to lie to him when I made my way into the kitchen. I found a metal counter and sat on top of it and waited for Joaquin to walk by. Chef Joaquin entered from the doors to the washroom and flung a towel over his left shoulder. He was half surprised to see me sitting on his counter; a position he discouraged from everyone (never sit on the chef's counter, he would preach) except me.

"Allison!" He began with joy, until he noticed my obvious discomfort. "Tell me what is wrong, child." He added more genuinely.

Joaquin was a very round, plump man. His voice was kind and his laughter was deep; his eyes were a forest green color and beamed with compassion as well as passion for what he did best; cook. I imagine if he ever grew a beard out, he'd make an excellent Santa Clause. Every "Bertoli" instant Italian food commercial in America reminded me of his image; the icon big-bellied cook with a white hat and wooden spoon always in hand.

"Oh..." I began, sighing in my complaint. "Everything is so different... I don't know whether I should transition myself into the change or try and revert things back to how they were." I didn't want to bring up Nicki; because then I'd have to say why he was detached toward me right now, then explain how I lied to him, and about Luke and Courtney and vampires...

Joaquin handed me a plate full of mouth-watering comfort food and a golden fork. I took it, thanked him and smiled. This was how it always was with Joaquin; I would come to the kitchen when I was troubled, he would ask me what was wrong, then give me a plate of comfort food while he cooked up some delicious wisdom and that usually help me see the situation clearly. It was very uplifting to know that after all of these years, the ritual wasn't lost.

"It's going to be a little bit of both. Like today; you did a very charitable thing by taking leftover food into the city. Giving to the people would be something to revert back to if that ingredient was lost. Yes, almost the entire castle has been refurnished since you last saw... but if you are able to adapt to the surroundings given to you but still change things within it for the good of everybody, then you will be the ruler that this country has waited for since your father passed. True, Regent Salvador has done a good job with keeping the country stable while you've been gone, but everybody knows only a Lockett will be able to lead the country the way that they want it to be lead."

"I know you're right, but I feel like I need to prove myself to the public. I've let them down for so long, with my absence... At first I wanted to prove myself simply because it was something I needed to do, for myself as well as them. Then I found out that I _need_ their support... there's a chance I won't ever wear the crown, Joaquin." I was deeply troubled by this possibility alone.

"Being charitable was a good start. I'm sure you'll take care of winning the public over without even trying, Allison. Just keep doing what you know is right, or what you know will be beneficial. Their loyalty will resurface faster than you think."

I sat in silence for several moments, thinking over what he said and what I knew already in my heart. On a side note, the food was astounding and made me feel a lot better.

"So, how has Rosa been?" I asked hopefully. Rosa was Joaquin's wife.

Or, she had been. As soon as I said this, the chef's face lost all expression and an immediate sense of loss came over him. I regretted speaking as I saw the heartbreak in his eyes. "She passed, almost six years ago. Her health failed dramatically during the winter and she just couldn't recover."

"Oh, my... I'm so sorry."

"No need to apologize, Allison." He replied. He touched the edge of the towel to the corner of his eyes. "There are many things you have missed, but you will catch up into the flow of things. Don't doubt the power that you already have."

"I won't." I replied with a thankful nod.

With that piece of wisdom and a full stomach, I traveled over to the queen's hallway, to my chambers. I checked in with Lucy, since I hadn't seen her all day; I felt my heart swell when she smiled and told me all about her day with Tony, the fashion guru, and several amusing things about their debates of fashion.

Soon after, I wandered down the corridor toward my room. A weary look was cast toward the library door; I recalled Taylor's aggressive behavior this morning. I shivered to myself at the thought and decided against checking up on him, or telling Luke, and simply entered my room, wondering if Luke was here.

When I entered my room, I was curious to why I heard orchestra music playing in the entertainment section of my quarters... I found Luke shirtless, stereo remote in hand, body sprawled out wonderfully in a chair with his head tilted back so he was looking up at the ceiling, though his eyes were closed. He couldn't possibly be...asleep?

I fully surprised him when I walked over and crawled into his lap. I squeaked when he jumped to life, so to speak, and a strong set of hands found my arms, tightly. I winced and he instantly removed them. "Allison..." he began in a low tone. "Don't _ever_ sneak up on me or any vampire when they are in a state of sleep or concentration. It's instinct to automatically kill whatever disturbs me." His fingers stroked my backside gently as he told me such gruesome things.

"Noted." I replied rather innocently. He smiled and placed a kiss on my cheek. I noticed he was easily warmer than usual, still cool. "Dinner made you sleepy?" I teased. I knew the underlining meaning in the back of my mind, though; he had killed somebody prior to coming up to the privacy of the room to wait for me. The questioning look in my eyes asked if the victim had met the requirements I wanted him too.

"Don't worry." He replied with a vivid smile. Fangs and all. I nestled deeper into the blanket, more into his touch from those. "There was a young girl who escaped with her life tonight; can't say for the same of the man about to throw her down and do _very_ naughty things..." His lips touched my neck and he told me this in a very deep, dark tone full of suggestion.

Somehow, _somehow_, even though he was telling me a woman had almost been raped tonight and he was a vampire with interest in my neck, I was turned on greatly. More so than I should have been for the conditions. I had to bite back a moan and remember not to automatically arch into him further when his hand slid up my back.

"U-uhm, Luke..." His actions did not pause. I tried to shift, to protest since I felt as though we shouldn't do this... My hand knocked the stereo remote over and when it hit the ground, the orchestra music changed to a tango number. Luke looked up and grinned, ice blue eyes shined with that blond hair and teeth...

"Dance with me."

I didn't object. I was placed on the ground and my hand was held gently into his as he rose and pulled me into him for a dance. I laughed bashfully but took my stance with him; I guess we would put my tangoing skills to the test now!

"Tell me about your day." he commanded next. I was speechless, caught off guard for a moment. Before I could think, he had initiated the both of us into the intimate dance sequence. I thought about just showing him the events, the highlights, like a news broadcast. After a moment I realized he wasn't reading my mind. See, when he was, there was this tingly feeling inside me; almost a dizzying effect was cast over me, too. That wasn't present now.

"Can't we just save words and you read my mind?" I replied, trying to concentrate on the dance. He paused and shook his head at me.

"I've been waiting all day to hear your voice. So, I want to hear it." he replied. What was this, seduce Allison night? I felt a flush rise to my cheeks as he spoke in that certain tone and flaunted his gorgeous eyes. He was close enough to kiss me; his breath lingered over my cheeks but he refrained from leaning down to reach my lips, parted from surprise.

I was too flushed to continue pressing against him the way the dance required us too, torso to torso. The two of us abandoned the dance and I told Luke about my day as I made my way to the bed chamber to change. Even with my obvious protest, Luke watched me change and couldn't take his eyes off of me. The strength of his attraction tonight was unstoppable. By the end of my informative conversation, I sat against the head of my bed, with Luke before me spread the length of the bed on his stomach, chin being held up my his arms.

"I can safely assume you had a good day?"

"Yes, except for the part about learning I have to be voted into my throne. Voting! On who gets to be the monarch! That's the most ridiculous-"

"You're going to be fine. Just show up to that ball your people here are planning, dazzle everyone with your charm and wit..." During his sentence, he had crawled up toward me and trapped me against the headboard of the bed and kissed where my sternum met the dip of the collar bone. I was set on fire by it. Was it me or did he seem a little... was horny right right word to use for him? "And after you've got them all underneath your spell, use that witchcraft you're using on me right now and make them all vote for you."

"Witchcraft?" I laughed unevenly. "I'm sure..."

He sighed, laughing as well. "Well, you must be doing something to make me feel this way about you, Allison. I've missed you all day, too much to be normal for such a detached being of darkness as myself, and as soon as I can get my hands on you, I can't stop myself..."

I blushed deeply. His eyes raised level with mine, I smiled as I looked at him.

"I have to thank you."

"For what?" he asked lively, smirk on his lips.

"You made me myself again. Since the first time we met, you forced me to see who I really was, the _me_ I was hiding from and trying to pretend I wasn't. And now, because of it, I'm back home, where I've wanted to be all along. I feel so... complete."

We continued to stare into each other.

"It's thanks to you." I added in a soft tone. My hand reached up and stroked his cool cheek. "And your ability to persevere and piss me off a few times in the process of forcing me to see my true self." I paused as a shiver ran up my body when Luke pressed his cold lips to the palm of my hand. He took in my scent and his eyes fluttered as he seemed to be intoxicated, then kisses began to be pressed along the vein in my arm, making a trail closer and closer to my shoulder tucked under the lace of the nightgown I'd changed into. "That's why I'm thanking you. You really got under my skin."

In a quick movement, I was pushed off balance from my sitting position and my back lay flat against the covers. Luke hovered over me a blink later. "You are very welcome, your majesty." he replied with a grin and a slight bow of his head. Shimmering blond hair fell over his liquid eyes, closer and closer his head came until his lips molded gently over mine. Instantly my body responded to his touches, completely on its own. I didn't have a tremor of nervousness until my mental ability kicked in once the hem of the nightgown was pulled well over my waistline.

"Wait."

Just as quickly as his actions began, they stopped. Question was on his face as he raised his head, not after placing two kisses on my neck.

"It's just..." I had to think before I formed words. He decided to resume kissing my neck while I did this. "I want.. I mean, I don't want..." I couldn't concentrate with those cold lips touching my skin, setting the passion ablaze!

"You're not making any sense." He whispered against my neck. His body shifted; I gasped when I felt every curves of his anatomy over mine. My hands flew to his arms and squeezed; his actions ceased again. I felt we shouldn't do this, even though I wanted to...

"It's just, last time-"

"Times." he corrected smoothly. He produced a blush on my cheeks again and smirked when he saw it.

I continued sharply. "Our arrangement was very evident on me physically the last time." The love marks, the soreness... "I'm going to have dozens and dozens of people monitoring every step I take for awhile. If they were to suspect something... I'm not saying no, it's just, you were so-"

"Rough." he interrupted again. Slight pet peeve; the annoyance of it was transferred into my voice.

"Strong, I was going to say. You are very strong and I'm so-"

"Fragile." I groaned when he interrupted _again_! Somehow, he overlooked every drop of my annoyance and shifted so that his stern body hovered over me. "Are you telling me you want a gentle lover, Allison?" His entire tone changed to a more seductive one; I was completely vulnerable to it and my frustration with him melted under the intense gaze he held with me now.

"I... Yes." I replied quietly. I couldn't lie, not with him pressing against me the way he was.

"Your wish is my command." I shivered as he spoke to me in such a desirable way, then he molded against me the way he had only nights before...

Needless to say, the queen did not arise till later than scheduled the next morning.


	23. Chapter XXI

**Note:** I'm now a BETA reader! I thought you had to be chosen by the fanfiction deities or something. Silly me.

Thank you everyone for your support and reviews. Keep 'em coming! Please, they boost my self esteem more than virtue should allow. Damn that Pride! Anyway, mouth water with Luke's point of view again. He'll be coming up a lot in the chapters to foil Allison with the royal side of things versus the vampire side of things. BEWARE of the part of the chapter where I got carried away into a rant of religious tolerance. You can skip that part if you're one of the assholes who doesn't at least tolerate other religions if you do not respect them.

**Chapter 21 – Affair**

.x. Lucas

I counted I had about half an hour until dawn. _I should leave soon, very soon..._ I gazed down at Allison's body within the darkness, simply appreciating her form for what it was. Her skin had tanned a tiny bit from the sunny setting outside during the day, her hair was a shade richer from the sunlight as well, reflecting yellow and red within the base russet color; the long, nicely curled strands framed her delicate little shoulders right now as she was settled on her back on top of the covers. She reminded me of the pose signature of the damsel in distress, but she was more like a sleeping angel, fallen from heaven. Her anatomy was exquisite; the curve of her body dictated the way the silk formed underneath her; her entire length from head to toe was perfectly curved, not too thin, not too heavy... Her neck was craned to the left, enticing me with that line from jaw to clavicle, and her breasts rose and fell very slowly with her even breathing of sleep. Her arms seemed to be perfectly carved as well; one was rested above her head, laced in her hair, and the other was at her side with the hand resting on the top of her thigh.

Every hour since she'd fallen asleep after our love making, that hand had inched half an inch closer to her female areas... three-fourths of an inch if I pressed erotic dreams into her mind and suppressed her nightmares. I suddenly created a quick fantasy in my mind about watching Allison touch herself; her skinny, feminine fingers hesitant to touch the succulent area of her-

_Woah, stop Luke. You have to leave her in a few short minutes_. I shouldn't be starting things now, this close to the time-limit... besides, _Allison needs all of the rest she can get._ I couldn't help myself, though. It was very challenging to keep my lips detached from her warm, soft skin; not to run my fingertips over the curves of her bones and veins. I bit my lip to keep from thinking about what was within those veins that my vampire side wanted the most from her. If I hadn't eaten just last night, this challenge of keeping myself restrained from her would be even more difficult.

Over four hundred years of learning self control and self restraint... it all crumbled at _her _feet.

There was a reason I was so attached to her, that I so strongly_ wanted_ her every moment I could manage... it was because I didn't know if I had years left with her, or only days.

Maybe, in some twisted, alternate dimension where I grasped everything I had ever truly wanted, if I claimed her for the rest of eternity, I wouldn't be planning on trying to drown myself in her every chance I had. Because of this _fear_, I guess you could call it, (or desperation) of losing her to her heritage and mortality, it was very difficult to draw myself away from her celestial, sleeping form when my time was finally up tonight.

I kissed her cheek, and then I kissed the spot right above the curls of her lower area, which her hand automatically moved a couple inches toward from the cold of my lips. I smirked and took a mental picture of her, for my own sleep in the attics today.

Sleeping... in the attics of a huge castle. I silently laughed at myself as I made my way soundlessly from her room toward the private library. Why was I laughing? Well, think about my situation. I was a four-hundred-eighty-two year old vampire having rendezvous with a mortal queen at night, eating only the criminals she instructed me too, and sleeping in her attics during the day. Where was the dignity I had treasured in the past, where I took any mortal I wanted, did as I pleased, took advantage of countless hearts to satisfy my sick sense of humor?

Perhaps Taylor was right about me throwing my complete dignity at the feet of Allison, the mortal. I was an immortal, and not only that, but a man! I needed to reclaim a little dignity, but in such a way I didn't piss Allison off _too_ bad... I was completely impervious to the fact that I would do anything for Allison at this point. Actually, I had pretty much accepted that I truly did love Allison and not Courtney. A few kisses and deaths and I was a changed man! Astonishing, I know. But wasn't completely whipped. _Yet,_ at least.

I snapped my fingers with an idea after being in thought for a moment. "Got it!" I said aloud. I was in the library now; Taylor had his back to me and when I drew attention to myself, he silently turned away from the book and map at the desk to face me. His dark brow raised slightly to ask what I had 'got,' since he couldn't read my mind right now. "The ball tonight. We can dress up and show up, blend in and pretend we're just two aristocratic gentlemen there for business. Everyone will assume we're there for promotional reasons and won't question our background."

Taylor was silent for several seconds, as if soaking in what I said on top of figuring why I would want to do such a thing.

"Do you wish to do that because you think Courtney will come tonight?" he inquired, calculating eyes attempting to read me. He probably had me figured at the way down to a tee, but made it seem as thought he was evaluating me.

"Even if she doesn't, I'd rather not take the chance that she does come, and then we aren't there in case she shows up _here, _within the building. Which I doubt she'd be stupid enough to do without a great deal of digression, but if she does we might have a chance at catching her early."

"No." Taylor replied quickly. "No more hunches. I didn't bow my head to a mortal just to repeat the same mistakes of the past. I am making a full-proof plan of action..."

"This plan includes Allison and I?"

"It will. Mak_ing_, as in, in the process of. I still need time to work out every variable and tie loopholes..." His voice trailed as his eyes traveled back over the map spread over the desk. He took a moment to glance at his watch. "Feed after you rise, then meet me here and I will work out a story to accommodate us at the party planned for Allison tonight."

"Allison is going to be _so _angry..." I muttered with a dark grin, folding my hands together. Just thinking about how fiery she'd be if toward me when she found out it was _my_ idea to disobey her orders... Her passion was at its highest point with me when I provoked her.

"Is she awake?" he asked me now. His dark head tilted so that his ear could pick up a sound more accurately. I heard it as well as I focused; a dull beating of a heart through the walls. This one was very close.

"No..." I replied. She shouldn't be awake since I left her to rest. And the blonde had a lighter weight and softer steps than the _thud_ of boots I heard muffled against the carpet lining the corridor outside.

"_Someone_ is coming. I thought Allison said the maids wouldn't come until next week!" Taylor sputtered his words out now, half anger and worry.

"That doesn't matter now, hide yourself!" I hissed at him. To a mortals eyes, it would have looked as though he'd disappeared from his seat.

"You have three minutes until sunrise." Taylor added from elsewhere in the room.

As soon as the mortal opened the door of the room and entered, I silently slipped out without his notice and hurried to conceal myself for a day's rest.

Halling could manage hiding himself... As for the trunks I moved into that room, full of many items not meant for human eyes... We'd deal with the auburn-headed man who'd intruded into Allison's library later.

.x. Allison

As they say, royalty is never late. Everyone else is simply...early. I have to admit, I loved that saying. Especially when it applied to me. I wasn't roused in the morning until Lucy came into my chambers herself, opened my curtains to let the light disturb my rest, and then jumped on the bed.

"Wake up wake up wake up..." She chanted like a small child; I shouted something back and then sat up to hit her myself. Instantly though, I recoiled when I realized I wasn't wearing anything and pulled up the sheet that had almost slipped off and exposed me.

"Oh, so _that's_ why you haven't gotten up yet..." Lucy insinuated with a tease in her voice. "Late night _sleepovers_!" She fully giggled at the innuendo she thought of herself and rolled off the bed.

"You better not tell a _soul_ Luce." I hissed at her. So much was at stake if anyone ever did discover that the queen had a lover. And the lover happened to be a vampire.

"Oh, calm down. I'm not a complete idiot. I can keep a secret too." She winked at me and blew a kiss my direction before skipping away. She was acting a bit too dramatic, a bit too much like she was covering another emotion up. "Hurry up and get down to the dining hall; it's almost time for lunch!"

I nearly choked when she said this; and she wasn't kidding. I glanced at the clock. Nearly noon! I swore under my breath and got myself ready quickly. I showered fast, threw on a long dress of a material considered non-formal and rushed down stairs. Excuses, excuses... what would be a plausible excuse for my sleeping in?

The time change! Yes, I was still adjusting to the time change. Perfect.

There was no food on the long table; I guess going hungry was my "no good deed goes unpunished" serving since it was because of my own orders I didn't have a meal right now. _I_ had ordered the servants not to waste food and share it at the soup kitchen, and for that_ I_ went without a meal in my own home for tardiness. Schedules were going to be the death of me, I swear...

"You're best chances of a meal would be to go into the city, your highness." I waiter told me as he picked up the remaining silverware on the table. "Would you like an escort if you so choose to do that?"

I thought about this for a moment as I glanced at him. "No thank you... Rafael, correct?" I asked, wanting to make sure I had his name right. He grinned cheesily and nodded his head. "If you know where Nicolas is, I think he'd rather be the one to escort." I told him, implying I wanted to know where Nicki was.

"He came down very early for breakfast, and after that I haven't seen him, your highness."

"Hm. If that's the case only God knows where he is now." The man laughed at my subtle sense of humor. My thoughts were suddenly trapped elsewhere. God, in the city was the cathedral, full of crucifixes; Danny. "Thank you, but I think I will just escort myself." I told the waiter.

"Alright. Would you like me to page the garage and bring a car around to the front for you?"

"Actually," I scratched my wrist with slight embarrassment. "I never learned how to drive. I'd rather ride a horse, preferably that black mare I had yesterday." I admitted with a slight drop of my head. Rafael had to suppress a chuckle. I didn't blame him.

"I'll tell Shuck to saddle the horse for you." he offered.

"Shuck?" I asked, wondering for a moment if that was a who or a what.

"The newest head gardener." He replied.

"You're telling me we have a gardener named Shuck." He nodded. I laughed now. "I wish to know the story behind that one!"

"Your highness!" Rafael raised his voice to scold my tease.

"Rafael, do not think less of me for having such a crude sense of humor. I can see the smile in your eyes." He silenced and a small blush spread across his face.

I couldn't wait for the day when he and every other servant had to address me as 'Her Royal Majesty the Queen' rather than the standard 'Your highness' for royal blood. I also couldn't wait for the time when I would become accustom to every one of my servants and know them all to a point they would feel comfortable calling me 'Allison' when no formality was required.

Within the hour, the reserved but handsome gardener Shuck had me safely strapped to the black steed I'd ridden yesterday and I traveled into the city wearing a long, black, fitting jacket over the slacks and dress shirt. For my destination, dress clothing was only appropriate.

* * *

The streets of the capital city were busy with the spring-time flood of tourism. My horse whinnied several yards away as a young girl attempted to reach out and stroke his nose. I, however, stood at the top of limestone steps of the Gothic-style cathedral, built in the early 13th century with influence from a German-style as well as an Islamic influence from Spain; my hand touched the brass golden-painted handle of the main door.

What else besides terrible memory and despair waited for me in the images behind this door?

I let go of the handle and turned away. No, I didn't have to do this today. I could just try and do this again tomorrow... _'Yeah, when every person in the country gathers and will see your face.'_ my mind laughed at me. Right, I should face the music _now_, so tomorrow, during the service, there will be no way I could lose composure if I do today...

A family walked up as I had an eternal debate with myself. I guessed there were tourists by the lack of shock on their face when they looked at me, blocking their way into the grand building. I politely grasped the handle and opened the door for them, and they shuffled in one by one... until the taller father of the family and held the door open for me as I had for his family. I was obligated to accept the gesture and I walked into the building. The debate had been won over by a stranger, who'd obligated me to enter the doors of Christ's home... there was no turning back now.

I took a deep breath and walked passed the tourists who were gasping at the divine sculpture of the inside.

I traveled down a few hallways, my steps echoing on the empty stone of the building, passed stained-glass windows and crosses until I came to the sanctuary for the Catholics.

I closed my eyes as I entered and managed to sit in the very back of the room. When I opened them, I knew I would be looking up at a giant bronze statue of Christ's crucifixion.

I took several deep breaths, tried not to think of terrible things, and opened my eyes.

Sure enough, that uncensored statue was there, pinned against the wall at the very front of the sanctuary. The craftsmanship put into the statue... It gave no mercy to the image of Christ's sacrifice. It gave no mercy to my memory from Daniel's sacrifice. I wanted to cover my eyes but I kept them trained on the statue.

God, Daniel. Why must death come to innocent? Why must the evil destroy lives so pure? I thought of Lucy, and the pain she was left with. I thought of all of the things Daniel hadn't had the chance to do in his life. Guilt and blame was in order toward certain people, like myself and Lucas, but I wouldn't cast pity on myself or hate him. I couldn't.

I could, however, feel rage toward _her_. And to feel such rage as I looked up at the crucifixion... This level of hatred in me didn't feel natural to feel in God's house.

I stood and turned to leave.

I had come here to prove to myself I could keep composure in the church. I had done that.

On my way out, my inner battle of guilt and hatred subsided when a young man was arguing with a woman. A woman wrapped in the silk that several Muslim women wore. The young man, by his uniform and slight familiarity, had to have been the priests _son_... And he was ordering her to leave by the looks of it. She argued with an accent from the middle east, most likely... which confirmed my theory of her being Muslim.

"You are not allowed to be in here!" He finally raised his voice at the tanned-skin woman wrapped in the foreign clothing.

"What do you mean, _she is not allowed in here_?" I couldn't help myself again and burst into the conversation. Conflict just screamed my name to subside. "She is allowed in the section of the cathedral dedicated to the free worship of any other religion under the almighty God, which includes Muslims and Jews." See, religious tolerance was another trait my country was known for. Any religion that worshiped the God of Abraham (which was predominately Catholics in this country but included other Christian denominations, as well as practitioners of Islam and Judaism) were allowed to freely worship in the gigantic building. Each sect had it's own area for this worship, and collaborations was never forbidden but not praised. But never had an actual _ban_ on a religion come from this building. This limestone masterpiece was not just a building; it was a symbol of unity amongst beliefs for this country. Hundreds of Muslims and several families of Jews flocked here for that reason alone.

The priest's son swallowed hard, then directed me away from the woman to speak to me quietly. I could tell by his nervousness he recognized who I was. "That tolerance was abolished over a year ago." He informed me. I blinked in slight confusion, not believing what I had heard.

"Show me what has been done with the area previously used for that, then." I demanded now with a sharpness to my voice.

"It has been filled in with several items as a storage area." He told me, obviously not seeing it worth his time to show me as I directed him too.

My cheeks were burning; I felt the blood drain from my ears from the amount of anger I felt because of learning this. I couldn't even the imagine the look in my eyes to make the boy cringe as he did.

"Tell me where your father is." I demanded evenly.

"He's busy at the moment, in the confessional." I ignored the implication in his voice with the word 'busy,' meaning to not disturb the priest in his duties.

I forced the young man to lead me to his father to get this ordeal sorted out. When he led me to where the confessional was, I watched the last person exit the little box and I simply entered after them. I didn't give the priest a chance to say a word.

"Father, what is the meaning of the abolishment of the tolerance law for the religions that worship the same God of Abraham?"

There was a slight pause. "You are not here to repent, I take it, lady Allison" the Priest replied. We both exited the confessional and took a seat in one of the pews to discuss the matters more intimately rather than abusing the purpose of the confessional. "I also take that you just found out about the tolerance law the legislature abolished thirteen months ago." I said nothing in return. I wanted his explanation for letting this happen. I could tell in his eyes and tone that he did not hold the same opposition to the rid of that law as I did. I was clearly outraged, he, not so much. "The country already had a small number of Jews before your absence, and they seemed to dwindle and move from the country within the years before the law was abolished. It was then the Islamic religion that was seen as a disturbance of the church, corrupting the message of God to the youth by the free nature of worship here. The legislative abolished the law after enough parents of the Catholic church brought it to their attention that their sons and daughters had chosen the teachings of Muhammad over the teachings of Jesus Christ. They are seen as evil in God's eye, lady Allison."

The look on my face was one of pure disbelief. "Father, _what_ have the men of the the legislative been filling your mind with?" I accused. "You _know _that the Muslims are not evil in God's eye, how could you promote such a phrase? They worship the same god you do, but call him of a different name! The Islamic followers _respect_ the followers of Christ, they call us "the people of the book," and should be nothing but respected in return! It's ludicrous to deny them the right of worship in the only holy building for miles."

"But their rituals and requirements that are so different than the church's..."

"_Should_ be tolerated, as they were in the past." I replied a little too sharply for a priest. "Look at the design of the cathedral, Father. It is every bit as Islam as it is Christian; influence is from both styles and it forms a perfect unity in the architecture. The proof of tolerance is there! If you teach the people to only condemn what is different, it is all they will ever do. With that inflexibility, much needed change will never take place. You have more influence over the people than I, or the legislative, or even Regent Luis. You can change the way they think more so than any other person. Do _not_ let that power become corrupt."

The man looked completely shocked by my sudden rant. I suddenly realized I should have censored myself a little more than to say _all_ of that....

"I'm sorry. I do not mean to speak to you so harshly. I merely want the best for the people..." I began.

"Forgiven, my child. I cannot criticize your pure intentions." he replied sincerely. "Will you be repenting this afternoon, lady Allison?"

I waited for a moment before answering, to be polite. "Perhaps next week, Father." Never had I repented, never would I.

"Ah. I see."

"See what?" I asked politely.

"Your mother told me that every Saturday for three years in a row."

The tiniest smile came to my lips. "She did, didn't she? Like mother like daughter, I suppose."

"God loves all of his children, even those who do not reach out to him." he told me. I became a little more embarrassed now, but my kind smile did not falter. So he had noticed, had he?

"That's what the Bible tells me." I replied, the smile still on my face. No, I did not believe. But I would attend the service as everyone else, know the things everyone else did, respect the religion and its followers as I should, admire the beauty and collective nature of the cathedral. "I will see you tomorrow, at the service."

"I do thank you for your concern toward this matter, Allison. It proves to me you care for all of the people. That is something we need more of in this country."

"Thank you, Father."

* * *

"We have less than _seven hours_ until the guests arrive! I want _every single _person in this castle to be preparing the ballrooms for their arrival!"

These words where pretty much the theme of the chaos when I arrived back at the palace. The hardest working maid of them all, Betty, was the one giving the orders. She knew how to prepare for these sorts of things, in theme; Luis knew who all to invite, and Tony knew how to dress and everyone he could.

"I do not mean to be too pushy, but please either assist or move out of the way." I was told by the head maid when I walked into ballroom A. Several people were arranging flowers and changing out curtains or moping the floor...

"Of course, Betty." I replied politely.

"Actually, you are supposed to be getting ready!" She barked now, realizing just who I was. "Tony was looking for you to dress you; and Regent Luis said that his son should be reviewing proper etiquette and dance steps with you! Go, be productive! This party is very important for you!"

She was so pushy; always wanted to get things done quickly and effectively. Exactly how I always remembered.

Her words made me realize something; that I hadn't seen Nicolas all day; not even at breakfast. I decided I would try and find him before Tony got a hold of me, and he and Lucy turned me into their canvas.

I had traveled all the way from the northern part of the castle, where Nicolas and his father lived, to the grounds. No sign of him anywhere. I began to ask servants and maids if they'd seen him.

"No, your majesty, I know he arose very early for breakfast, before sun rise. I haven't seen him since."

"I believe he was in the east corridor... Well, this morning he was."

The last time one of my friends couldn't be found, well... my stomach lurched when thinking of Nicki in Daniel's crucification, again. I _had_ to find him!

Sooner than later, the man had me running around on a wild goose chase with no clues except for vague witnesses. Finally I found a maid who said she had cleaned my private library today, four days early. I hoped Taylor could handle the surprise; by her tone and lack of anything wrong with the room, I could guess Taylor hadn't been discovered.

"I saw Nicolas in your library mid-day when I was cleaning. If he had been anyone else, I would have kicked him out, I assure you. I hope its alright that he was in there, your majesty." She told me.

Finally, a solid clue. I traveled toward my part of the castle, all while wondering what Nicki was doing in my private library, which he technically was not allowed in but I would be lenient, and where Taylor was if Nicki was in that room.

My second question was answered when I saw Taylor standing out in the middle of the hallway, coal eyes trained on a tapestry of the Lockett family seal hanging on the wall. The image of him here was vaguely familiar.

"Taylor! What are you doing out in the open?" I accused with slight fluster. His eyes peeled from the tapestry and came to me. The calm look on his face twisted to a more annoyed one.

"There is somebody else in _there_, otherwise I wouldn't be." he replied darkly, motioning toward the door of the private library. "The _nuisance _has been in your library all day." Taylor told me skeptically. "If you could kindly dismiss him so I could continue my studies without any further disturbance..."

I ignored the lace of annoyance that was on Taylor's voice. "Sure." I replied, moving down the corridor. I felt a whoosh of cold air sweep passed me; I shivered and turned around to where Taylor had been standing, now gone. A moment later a warm hand touched my shoulder and made me jump.

"Were you just talking to somebody?" Nicolas' voice asked. I was flustered but relieved when it was only him and not Taylor trying to scare me out of my skin or something.

"Uhm, nope. Just myself." I told him easily.

"I heard a male voice." His dark brown eyes stared suspiciously.

"Sure it wasn't the one inside your head?" I dismissed his seriousness with my tease.

He gave me a look.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. I've been looking for you all day! What have you been up too that involves coming into the royal family's personal library?"

His suspicion of me was dropped as it was his turn to be caught red-handed. "I wanted to help you with what you said yesterday, about not finding any answers to your family's curse... I thought looking into the Lockett death records and marriage certificates would help out with tracing the curse back to where the legend of the curse says." he told me. "Perhaps if we find the root of when the curse began and research what historical events happened around that same time... I found that the legend of Courtney and Stephan checks out, not completely, but your ancestors Stephan did take a woman named Courtney to be his queen and they had a child, and after she disappeared, he was murdered in the castle shortly after. Even stranger, after him, their daughter married a man who was killed in an accident after their son was born. The unexplainable deaths start at the root that the legend tells us, so we know that the legend is based on some truth. I'm not sure about the vampire part; I mean, the chances that your ancestor Courtney was a vampire or became a vampire are very slim, even for those who want to believe vampires are among us. The legend of the curse probably was based upon the tragedy of Stephan's death and since folklore has always been popular and accepted in our society, tales of vampires mixed in with the truth and the story morphed after being passed down for so many generations..."

"Nicolas. Please, stop." I wondered if the poor guy took a breath at all in that entire speech. "I appreciate your help, tremendously... But I-"

"You already knew all of that." He interjected; his voice even, dark eyes watching me, calculating my facial expressions and tone for a flaw.

"No, I-" I attempted to make something up. He didn't buy it.

"You lied to me." Now, I was silent. And a little irritated I couldn't get a complete sentence out, even if it was misleading.

"Yes." I replied guiltily. "I_ have_ been in America, that part was true. And I _have_ been searching for the answer to my family's curse and a way to break it."

"You found the answer, and you won't tell me what it is, will you?"

I turned away from him. I couldn't lie to him again, not Nicki, my dearest friend. He would know if I lied right now because he knew me better than anyone, and if I fibbed to his face about such an important subject it would hurt him.

"No, I won't tell you."

"I see." he replied sorely.

"It's for your protection, Nick, I swear-" I tried to explain.

"I don't care the reason." He cut in sharply. The edge in his voice was what cut into me. Nicolas wasn't normally harsh; he was smooth, charming, witty, never sharp or cold. He became a little more distraught when he saw the hurt in my eyes. "It's just- I just... You've been gone for twelve years, Allison. Twelve! I haven't gotten a letter or a postcard or any scrap of anything from you in all that time, and finally when you come back and face the music, you can't even tell me, your best friend, what you've been up to." He paused, letting his words resonate in the hallway and sink into my mind. He waited long enough for me to reply, either with more lies or some feeble attempt at an apology. He would get neither.

He took my silence and turned to curtly walk away. "Whatever," he spat in English. "Five hours until guests arrive. I was supposed to practice proper etiquette and review dancing with you for tonight's festivities, but I think I'll let you work that out with yourself." he added coldly and childishly; he passed me with a gentle bump to my shoulder and disappeared down the corridor.

Nothing less of what I'd deserved. He'd been pulling bits and pieces of information together all day long for me, then I go and shoot him down... How unfair to him. I almost felt like crying with the bitter quiet he left me in, but I could hold myself together better than to start tearing up over one fight with a friend. I sighed rather sadly, but was startled to turn and see Taylor standing suddenly before me again as he was prior to Nicolas and I's conversation.

"I said _'kindly'_ dismiss him." Taylor told me with a dark smile. "Perhaps you need lessons on how to handle your friends when dealing with keeping a huge a secret as the one you hold, on top of all of the other lessons you need before tonight."

"Vagi-se'n a infern." (Go to hell). I cursed at him and stormed down the hallway, away from him.

* * *

I found comfort in the chaos of the kitchen with a delicious sneak-peak of what Joaquin would be serving tonight. I didn't have a chance to talk to Joaquin this time since he was under such stress from the time limit he had to cook for the party. About this time, Tony and Lucy got a hold on me. I knew that the castle's lead designer from Italy and the American fashion lover mixed together would only result in a product that involved me becoming their life-sized Barbie doll.

I sat very innocently at the table in the dining room, chewing on some honey bread, when the two fashion gurus attacked.

"Hi, Ally." Lucy greeted cutely, sitting in the seat to my left.

"_Chao, Bella_." Tony cooed from my right.

Lucy's blonde features and pale white skin were a direct contrast to Tony; he was the icon Italian. Tan skin more an olive color, gorgeous forever features (considering he was 38 and still looked better than most 20 year old men I knew) with dark brown hair cut short but surprisingly stylish. His dark eyes examined a persons appearance very closely. He never stopped thinking about what colors and styles he should use on a person, I don't think. The intensity of his look was what made me uncomfortable, but he was just doing the job he called his passion.

"You were right, Luce," He started in English with a devilishly sexy Italian accent. I almost groaned when I realized they'd warmed up to each other enough to be on a nickname basis already. "America _has_ ruined her beauty. What do they teach you there; that beauty only comes to those who wish to stay naive and empty? _Rifiuti!_"

He stood and I was obligated to stand as well when he pulled me up and away. Lucy pushed me from behind so I was useless to escape. "I _cannot_ believe you went out into public with _that_ hair and _that_ outfit. What were you thinking, _bella_? You are never allowed to leave the royal home again without my approval..." Tony insisted, on and on...

I was whisked away to be the Barbie doll for the rest of the afternoon. Save me!

I got to listen to Tony and Lucy argue on and on about what style they should cut my hair (though I requested I wanted it kept long), what colors looked the best on me, what clothing designs showed off my availability (small awkwardness on Lucy's part because she secretly knew I was not single as Tony presumed) and feminine physique while still being appropriate for a person of royal status. Tony took his job very seriously, when it came to preparing people for parties, anyway.

After much preparation and changing into several different outfits, Tony finally decided on a nice dress for me to wear. While he played around with blush tones and eyeliners on me now, Lucy leaned against the vanity in the room with her arms crossed over her belly quietly and seemed to be far away in thought. Tony took notice and decided to draw her back into the world, out of her troubles.

"Isn't the petite blonde going to the party as well?" Tony asked Lucy. Lucy sighed and shook her head.

"Nonsense, Lucy. You're going to love it." I added in.

"I have nothing to wear." she defended weakly. I knew she wanted to go; who wouldn't want to get all dressed up and see what a fancy party in a giant castle was like? I wondered for a moment what was _really_ holding her back.

I turned and whispered into Tony's ear. "I have a request. Her pale skin and blonde hair, reminds you of an angel, doesn't it?" I suggested. "Pull the hair back with curls and dress her in some fine whites and soft blues..."

"I shall turn her into one of God's own,_ la vostra maestà_." he replied with a new grin. Finally, my angel was going to become just that.

After I was finished, Tony took Lucy away to the dressing rooms to transform her as he had me.

"Allison?" Regent Luis asked as he poked his head into Tony's 'area.' I waved to let him know I was finished here. "You look absolutely gorgeous." He told me with a stunning smile. I grinned and thanked him in return. "Where is Nick? You both should be reviewing before the guests arrive in..." he glanced at his watch. "Half an hour."

My smile faded and was replaced with a slight anger and guilt. "He's somewhere." I replied, crossing my arms.

"Don't cross your arms like that. It's unbecoming." Luis told me in a corrective tone. I automatically put them at my sides. "So, did you two get into a fight?" he inquired more fondly.

"Yes." I admitted, and wouldn't tell him what over. "And he stormed away telling me I can handle any preparations myself."

"Ah." he replied, slight frown on his face. He didn't exactly look pleased about his son's behavior toward something as _important _as this. "Well, better not to waste anymore time. Come, I shall give you a run-down of things while Nicolas has time to gather his thoughts and come around."

I took the hand Luis offered to me and found comfort through the sudden churning in my stomach. At least he didn't remind me, _for the hundredth time_, how important this party was for me. I knew I needed to impress the legislative and a knew I needed to make a good impression on the people. But I couldn't act anything other than myself; and if they didn't like my true self... well, I was out of luck, and out of crown.

I glanced out of a nearby window and saw darkness had already fallen over the outside world. I wondered for a moment what Luke was doing.

.x. Lucas

Allison was otherwise preoccupied and wouldn't be back in her area of the castle for awhile, every other servant was too busy preparing the ball room areas to even noticed me and the suits I'd taken for Halling and myself.

I glanced into the full length mirror in Allison's room and was satisfied with the fit of the suit. I straightened the collar and ran my hands through my hair a few times to make sure the gel was working.

"You're still too pale; humans are bound to notice. Didn't you feed before coming?" Taylor insisted from across the room, fitting into his own suit.

"Yeah, right." I chuckled darkly. "It would have taken me half the night to track down the victim Allison wants me to eat; I'll miss the party. And there's not a lot of bad people here that fit her criteria." I explained. That would be a problem in the long run; if there weren't enough 'bad guys' here for me to chew on, my hunger and blood lust would eventually become a bigger issue and danger to Allison than even Courtney herself.

"Pathetic." Taylor tossed a bottle of blood at me while finishing his own. "Drink up or put powder on."

I caught the bottle and knocked the top off. "Not really a powder sort of vampire." I replied cheekily and drank the entire bottle down, with much distaste. Damn, how did _anybody _enjoy this over live food? I glanced into the mirror now; I was noticeably a more pink and peachy color. I could definitely blend in better with the fancy crowd now.

My gaze shifted away from the mirror to the outside. I couldn't sense Courtney's presence, but I felt her, in a sense. There was a strong chance she was here. It was a good thing we were going to this party after all. I could protect Allison more easily if I were with her.

"I wanted to discuss the meaning of Allison's nightmares." I told Taylor as I turned back to him. He paused in fixing his dark hair and glared at my reflection in his mirror.

"Unless she has some form of telepathy or prophecy, her nightmares do not concern me, Lucas." The man replied rather curtly. I pursed my lips together toward his automatic dismissal.

"She may. It's hard to tell for sure in humans." I paused; Taylor did not make a motion to recognize me and continued preparing himself. I continued anyway. "As of late, they have been of Courtney. It's impossible to prove if Courtney is truly manifesting herself into Allison's mind. But if that were true, then it seems to me that Courtney's intentions are becoming... unstable."

"Compared to what that is stable?" Taylor replied strikingly. "Courtney V has always been unstable and unpredictable in her ways of crimes. The only thing that is certain is that she _will_ kill. How and when, by what means we can never properly predict." he explained. Nothing I didn't already know, but Taylor calculated everything as an equation.

"You're right. Let me word that differently, then." I told him. "It seems that her reasons behind her malice to kill is becoming unclear and twisted; from herself, that is. She doesn't seem to know exactly what she wants any longer, or why she so strongly feels the need to kill Allison, instead of the mortal Allison would marry." My stomach attempted to do some sort of flip as I phrased this. Allison, marrying and sleeping with another. My selfish ways didn't want to give her that freedom, even though it was necessary for her to continue her royal line with a mortal.

Taylor looked thoughtful for a long while. "Speaking hypothetically of course..." He finally said, eyes narrowing. "_If_ Courtney V were to manifest her intentions through Allison... It would be because of jealousy." Taylor replied unattached. "And it makes sense that these could truly be Courtney's real intentions. She still claims you as her mate, so the development of Allison and yourself would cause her to be driven with a hatred with jealousy instead of a vengeance. That change in reason could be the weakness that I've been waiting for, Lucas. If she is driven by jealousy, it will be even easier to manipulate her versus the times you could not even speak to her when her mind was death-driven with revenge for a mans blood."

Ah, yes. Those times, when she would not listen to any sort of reason or any other being. The very early days when Courtney was bent on killing her own blood. Her husband first, then her daughter's husband, eventually she swayed her own daughter into suicide... and after those first few years of waiting for more of her blood to manifest through procreation of her mortal descendants, she learned to play with her victims; make them want to die or drive them into a state of chaos before she took them; as well as create pawns and seduce them to help her in her bidding. She began to converse with me again after those years were passed. I recall our conversations being short and thrift; she found no interest in me after I'd turned her, only in who she could seduce next and how she might murder the next Lockett king. _Now_ I realize it...

I could tell by Taylor's blank expression that he was calculating a plan in his head. It's a good thing I couldn't read actual thoughts, because I don't think Taylor ever _stopped_ thinking for any given moment; I would become even more annoyed with him than I usually did.

"I can assume your plan now involves me to sway Courtney somehow..."

"More like seduce. She's a very physical being; she knows her body is desirable. Allison would be the lure; the reason for you to lead to her a secure location..."

"Allison is _not_ going to be in harm's way as the _bait_." I interjected.

"Ah, ah, ah." Taylor smirked now, raising his finger to me. "We had a deal. You and Allison will comply. I've been trying to clean up _your_ mistakes for far too long for you not to cooperate this time."

A mistake. Courtney was a mistake. Also, in a sense, she was not. I would have never met Allison. Perhaps that was a good thing as well, since I'd never have felt so powerless toward myself if I'd never met her...

"Are you ready?" Taylor broke me from my thoughts. I cleared my throat from habit, fixed my bow-tie, then nodded.

Tonight was about Allison's appearance. I couldn't_ wait_ to see the look on her beautiful face... I also couldn't wait to see her.


	24. Chapter XXII

**Note:** So we're all recovering from the change ff put on the login directions. Which I am not happy about. Side note: 10K hits on this thing!! Anyway, I was looking over the reader traffic after I posted the new chapter. I was jazzed to see people from all over the entire world take a look at my story! Anywhere from America, to Norway, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Netherlands, the neighbors Puerto Rico and Canada, way across the world in Australia and New Zealand, to freakin' Barbados. UK! Brazil, Singapore and _more_. It's...incon_cei_vable! Thank you all so much for your support, as always, I will appreciate it again and again.

I wanted to have this update up _before_ the Twilight film was released on my birthday, (Twilight = success) but as we can all see that didn't happen. I apologize for the delay; hopefully the holidays will speed up my updates.

Anyway, enjoy.

**Chapter 22 – Victim**

.x. Allison

The royal manner had half an hour before the guests were to arrive. Betty was griping at everybody to dress and finish last minute items. The theme of the party was something dealing with mer-people, I think. Something unimportant compared to the reason for the party. I was dressed in blues and greens so I was 'color coordinated;' whatever that was.

I appreciated Luis going over proper gestures and sayings and dances with me within this time. We had already gone over proper eating etiquette, where he scolded my habits picked up in America where I was free to slouch and put my elbows on tables without consequence. Now, he led me in the waltz; a dance I was still shaky within the steps of. The dance floor was empty except for us and the servants scrambling around with their duties. We moved to the warm-up tunes of the orchestra on the stage in ballroom A.

"Very good; remember, let the man lead." Luis reminded me softly. I blushed and stopped trying to take the lead in the steps. I couldn't help it, it was in my nature to be 'on top.'

"I think Nicki is still mad. I haven't seen him around." I said a little off-handedly with a bit of guilt in my voice. Nicolas had every right to be angry. He was just the worried friend, after all, and I had shot him down.

"He knows better than not to show. He knows how important this is for everyone, especially you. He wouldn't jeopardize anything because of something as foolish as a temporary disagreement between the two of you." I appreciated that Luis didn't pry to find out the reason for our quarrel.

"Well, he's been very bitter toward me lately." I told him with a tiny lace of hurt and anger in my voice.

"He has?" Luis replied. Apparently he'd seen a different side of Nicolas than the bitter one he exhibited toward me, after I wouldn't tell him what I've been doing with my life. I nodded my head. "Bear him no ill will, Allison. I know my son, and I know he couldn't be happier with your return. After you left, he became a royal guard so that if your mother and you returned, he would be set to be a part of your life. And, after there was a chance of you returning to us sooner than a couple of days ago, he would talk of nothing else but you. He never lost hope you'd return; he's ecstatic you're back with him, Allison."

I beamed as Luis told me this with an honesty. "I assumed the bitterness was _because_ I had returned." I continued. "He told me there was a strong possibility he was going to become the next king. With me in the picture again, that dream is crushed."

"Maybe not." Luis replied thoughtfully.

"What do you mean by that?" I inquired.

"Hm? Nothing." he told me with a smile. "I was just thinking about life after you become the queen again. I'd have nothing to do with my day!" He laughed hardily.

"Mn-hm." I sighed without belief. He led me into a spin and I was surprised when he stopped leading the dance and had brought me to the edge of the dance floor nearest to the open doors.

"Now, unless he has changed, when Nicolas needs to calm himself or think about big issues, like love for example, he wanders into the north side of the maze on the grounds and looks up at the stars next to the angel statue."

I nearly blushed when Luis had implied 'love' as Nicki's reason for his odd behavior. I recognized the other implied part; to go and talk to Nicolas myself, and bowed politely before leaving the ballroom.

"You have twenty-three minutes, by the way." he called after me, tapping his wrist watch._ Gee, thanks Luis._ I thought with an invisible roll of my eyes.

I dodged around servants and found my way to the grounds behind the castle. Marble steps and several small terraces led down to the flower gardens, the beautiful vines wound in arches over pathways... further out into the maze of hedges. The maze of the courtyard behind the castle was somewhat a mix between an artistic tour and an adventure. The tall hedges made the pathway, but in dead ends was never just a dead end; it was more like a location, a square 'room' in the maze that held fountains, or benches... or in Nicki's case, statues. He liked to wander all of the way to the back of the maze into this little 'room' that had the softest grass and a statue of an angel holding her arm up to the heavens with her wings spread.

It was easy to find him, considering halfway through the maze, after I'd slipped my heels from my feet and trudged over the gentle grass in bare feet, they led me of their own accord to where he was, where we'd play for ages as children. And there he was, sprawled comfortably over the grass on his back as if it were his natural bed. His auburn hair was flipped out of his dark eyes and they were trained on the gorgeous night sky. I didn't fail to notice he wore a very nice white shirt and black slacks; the tux was hanging on the wing of the angel to keep it off the ground.

I hesitated before I stepped into his 'room' of the maze. See, as children... Nicki and I played make-believe like every other kid. Except our imaginary house was much more elaborate than other children's... this maze on the grounds was our imaginary mansion and we made each dead end a room in our mansion. We chose rooms to call our own and we had to be granted permission to enter; permission was granted after the password was recited.

I thought about approaching him in this manner to appeal to his better side.

"Permission to enter." I called to him somewhat sweetly. He seemed to jump as he realized I was there and I had spoken... he still did not move to look at me.

"What's the password?" he demanded in a small voice. Naive, almost, like a pouting child. I paused as my mind thought of our childhood and the password we made for his 'room' in the maze, as well as my own someway west of here.

"Astronomy." I told him thoughtfully.

"Permission granted." He replied a little less tensely. He still did not move to look at me. I was slightly relieved to hear him speak to me civilized-like again. I came nearer to him and continued to gaze.

"Your father is waiting for your appearance so he can officially begin the party with a toast." I told him, thinking of an excuse rather than saying _'Hey dipwad, get up and get over it.'_ He didn't respond for a minute. I waited in the silence for several moments.

"Still here?" he asked sarcastically; almost coldly.

"Yes."

"Let me guess; no one else could find me, so my father sent you to look as a last resort."

"Luis didn't send me to fetch you like some sort of _messenger bird_. I came on my own." I replied a little more hotly. The heels I held in my hand clicked together as I hoisted my hands to my hips. His sarcastic and cold tones he used hurt, and they invoked anger. "Please, Nicki. Don't be this way." I added more softly.

Finally, he took his dark brown eyes off of the skies and took in the sight of me for the first time since my 'transformation.' It was no mistaking his jaw, which dropped, and his eyes, that became wide as they took in my image in the little light received in this part of the maze. He was obviously stunned by the sight of me.

Just as quickly as this shock happened, he regained composure and stood as if he hadn't just gawked over anybody.

He cleared his throat and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "Dammit, I'm acting like an asshole about this, aren't I?" he asked. I simply blinked and held my hands together innocently; I wasn't going to answer the question. "God... I'm sorry about that. It's just... I don't know how I _should_ be acting..."

"Around me?"

"Yes. I mean, not exactly..." he unclenched his fingers and shook his head to focus. "I'll tell you later, okay?" he said now, confusion lingering in his dark eyes.

"Okay." I agreed easily, truly wishing to ease his discomfort. "Would you kindly escort me to the party, good sir?" I teased him now.

Instantly his unease melted and he grabbed his jacket before eagerly lacing his arm with mine. "I most certainly would." he replied with a smooth voice and charming smile. _There_ was the Salvador signature I knew and loved.

We made our way back toward the light of the castle. I prepared myself for all of the people I'd have to meet within minutes... I appreciated him fully when Nicolas finally offered the support he was supposed too.

* * *

"Gerald, Amador, Daine, Coffin, Stuart, Valentine..." Nicolas was forcing me to recite the last names of the legislative. _Again._

"Very good." he complimented me, only half listening as we walked around to the front lobby, near the grand staircase. There were very few guests still; one of which was a man Nicki recognized, and he had crossed the room and was walking toward us. This man was dressed in a nice suit similar to Nicki's but in a navy blue shade to compliment the short hazelnut hair on top of his head and blue eyes sparkling when they looked to me. A warm smile was pressed on his pink lips.

"Prime Minister Davidson." Nicolas announced, to both recognize him and alert me. _This guy is important. Check._ At least_ he_ already seemed to take a shine to me. I had to admit, he was handsome and very _young_ for the role of the Prime Minister. I hoped this man filled the shoes as well as Nicki told me he had. Nicolas also told me I would like him a lot better than any of the new members of the legislative. "I'm pleased to introduce you to her highness, Allison Lockett."

"I'm very pleased to meet her." he replied kindly, then took the hand I had stretched out and kissed the top of it. "It's an honor, your highness. Regent Luis never stopped bragging about how beautiful you are; I see now it wasn't just an over exaggerated boast."

Yes, I was going to like this man _very_ much. I thanked him for the compliment with a smile and told him it was nice to make his acquaintance.

"You're early." Nicolas said nonchalantly. Davidson half shrugged.

"I thought I'd come early to even have a chance to see her highness... and to discuss the matters of you-know-what, unless you haven't informed her of it yet..." he whispered this part now; my interest was automatically attained. Nicolas looked at me thoughtfully for a moment.

"I've mentioned it." he replied to the Prime Minister. I gave Nicki a warning glare for speaking as if I wasn't right next to them.

"Good. He's told you about the _corruption_, as I call it." The man was whispering now. I looked around to see if anyone could overhear us and I nodded my head. "Not that you need to worry. Salvador and I have cut it down to only one member in the legislative; everyone else has a clear head. The one stubborn man left has been pressuring Regent Luis to surrender the throne to Nicolas for some time now; he also has a daughter whom he wants to marry to Nick so he can have some control over the throne. It's all a conspiracy for power."

A questioning look came to my eye as he spoke. This man? "Just watch out for Victor Coffin during this gathering. He's the one." Davidson told me, looking around. Nicolas nodded, saying he'd point the guy out once he arrived. "Not to worry, though. Since little Salvador here," Nicolas punched Davidson in the arm for that comment "has surrendered the throne to you, the rest of the legislative is obligated to choose you for Regent Luis' position; as it should be for the heir to the throne." I was fortunate and thankful that the Prime Minister had basically just told me his vote was secured to me and he was working in my favor. Nicolas seemed to be fond of his friendship, meaning this guy was someone I would get along with, personally. I felt much relief now toward the worry of not knowing the likelihood of my ascension. "The only issue is... Coffin might persuade the other members of the legislative otherwise. And unfortunately he's very good at that. We can discuss this subject further into detail when we're not around so many others." The subject faded when a trio of guests moved passed us into the ballroom.

I understood, now. This man, Victor Coffin and his ability to get others to choose what he chose; he was probably the one behind all of the changes to my country's laws I wasn't liking one bit. I had a feeling I already wasn't going to get along with that guy. I would control myself, however... I had to dazzle everyone after they arrived, after all.

The three of us continued in conversation, getting away from the subjects that forced us to whisper. I glanced up at the top of the stairwell as I saw movement; I smiled when I recognized Lucy.

I saw Lucy before she saw me. I had to compliment Tony on his design for her; as she descended from those steps on shaky feet trapped in heels with the help of a maid, she truly did look as an angel climbing down from heaven's golden gates. Her lithe body was dressed in a simple but elegant white dress with a very light blue corset around her middle; her yellow hair was curled and fell gracefully around her shoulders while her oceanic eyes were brightened with blue shadows. If only she had a halo and a pair of wings, she would be perfect. She looked out at the room before her with wide, beautiful, and anticipating eyes.

I wasn't the only one to notice this beauty, however. I didn't fail to recognize the stark silence in the Prime Minister next to me, and his completely awe-struck face as his eyes settled upon Lucy. From the top of her descent, to before us; he was completely beaming with admiration for her. I wanted to grin as I recognized the unmistakable blush spread across her painted face in response to his stare.

"Henry Davidson, miss." he began bravely, and in English for her! Extra points. "It is a complete honor to be standing in the midst of one just as, if not more, beautiful than the future queen herself." He managed a funny grin toward me when he used me to exemplify the compliment, and I let him get away with it with my smile in return.

Lucy had turned the loveliest shade of red there was.

"Lucy Hughes....oh my." she replied, then blushed even further, if that was possible, when he bent to kiss the top of her hand, which was only polite in my country. His hand under hers did not shift away afterward.

"May I escort you inside, Lucy?" he asked politely. I found out quickly that this Prime Minister was not married or here with a date. _And_ that Lucy had nodded her head to him without even shooting me a worried glance! I was so proud... Perhaps a nice man was just what she needed.

Then again, maybe not. I would just have to keep an eye on her. She'd been acting a little... off, lately.

"Shall we?" Nicolas now said to me, offering his arm again. I let my thoughts even out as I nodded and we followed in after Lucy and Henry.

The ballroom was now alive with music and a few amount of guests who arrived early. Regent Luis glanced up at the two of us and had a huge grin over his face as he recognized our fondness. "Splendid! Nick, make sure she meets everyone." he instructed, then headed toward the large group of guests that were just entering the ballroom.

I swallowed as Nicolas glanced at me. "Ready?"

"Of course." Which was code for 'Not at all.' He was amused with my sarcasm and we moved over to our first set of guests with a stride that matched the music playing. I hoped I wouldn't blow this...

.x. Lucas

The night was perfect. The skies were completely clear; one could see every blend and shade of the milky way and the stars twinkling light years away... The breeze picked up and brought the most delicious scents into my nostrils; the sweet nectar of spring flowers, the rich odors of the food and people in the capital city, the heavenly softness of jasmine and roses rooted into the loamy soil, and honeysuckles buried in the flesh of the dead...

Honeysuckle? Honeysuckle didn't grow naturally in this country; and it most certainly did not grow on dead flesh. Something was terribly, terribly wrong as I knew I had not mistaken _this_ scent from all of the others.

_She_ was definitely here. I knew it without seeing her, without knowing how far or close she was... She was in the country, in the city below (at the very least).

Courtney was my child of darkness, my one and only fledgling. She was connected to me as I was connected to her; in blood. Because I had sired her, I could feel her presence, her motives, I could sense her desires to kill and sex. They did not transfer to me, but I usually could tell when she felt the impulse to kill. There was no way to tell who she wanted to kill or how she was going to go about doing it; but when I felt the desire, it was everything I needed to know that someone's life had been taken by her doing. I also could sense she was jealous over Allison, jealous over her possession over me. Ever since I'd kissed Allison in the alleyway and slept with her after the funeral... Courtney's jealousy had been raging war with her revenge and vanity. I could feel her instability, feel her moods shifting from vengeance to jealousy... Taylor was right; she was _very_ vulnerable in this time of uncertainty, but just as fatally unpredictable as ever. I bet if I found her and could get my hands around her neck, whisper a few sweet words in her ear... I could rip her head clean from her shoulders before she could even feel the pain. The keyword being _if_.

But this was Allison's battle too. She needed to have a part in killing Courtney; I couldn't just do it for her, or else the vengeance that has settled in her beautiful body would consume her like it had Courtney. If only there were someway Allison could cut off Courtney's head... without getting killed herself, that was. Any thought I had that involved putting Allison in danger's way made my stomach do flips.

I would not lose her. I _couldn't_ lose her. I didn't know _what_ I would do if she was taken from me by death... The loneliness and emptiness after losing a second lover, and Allison being the true lover of the two, would be more unbearable than permanent death. I was assured of that much.

I nearly panicked when the wind picked up the scent hit me tenfold. _Her_ scent, Courtney Vengeance. I felt that impulse of her kill consume her; I knew somebody was about to lose their life somewhere. But if I could feel her desire this clearly and I could pick up her scent so strongly, she must be somewhere _very_ close by!

I heard a shout and the splintering of wood to the east of where I sat. My body instantly jerked that direction; when my vampire ears picked up a snarl and another shout, I bolted toward the source of the struggle; the royal stables. The horses screamed and kicked inside of their pens, no other human or creature was nearby to witness the disturbance inside the stable.

I arrived a moment too late. I darted inside the open doors, and perhaps if I hadn't stopped to inspect the damage and continued after the softest sound of steps fleeing, I would have caught her...

Tied to the highest rafter by blood-stained cowhide was a body of a man, his disfigured limbs wrapped behind him around the wood of the rafter, his neck broken and nodding toward the ground, blood dripping from his nose and chin from the open wounds that spelled that fateful word of "VEANGEANCE" across his bare chest. The rest of his body was clothed by a ripped pair of slacks. He must have been a guest of the party up at the palace, I deduced from the fine white shirt and coat on the ground, catching the blood that poured from him. Death was fresh upon him, I was probably shaking hands with the grim reaper right now.

What I hadn't seen or heard, and I really should have since the heartbeat was pounding in my ears like a rapid beat of a drum, was the terrified woman in the corner, rolled into a ball and shaking uncontrollably. She was a guest from the palace as well; I didn't even have to pull the memory of what she witnessed from her mind, she was openly replaying the scene over and over as her body rocked and her voice whimpered like a lost child in a dark part of the woods. She was the mistress for the man tied to the rafter above; they had come here to do their business before the party started and before the man's wife noticed he was gone... then Courtney found them and decided she needed to punish the male. Probably the only reason why Courtney hadn't drank from the woman and disposed of her as well was because of my arrival...

Before the shaking woman, wrapped in a golden dress with blonde hair on top of her head, could lay her wide, frightful eyes on me, I disappeared; fled myself, back to the palace where Allison lay in danger without knowledge of Courtney's arrival.

Taylor met me on the roof of the palace, as instructed, before we would make our way down to the party within the stone walls. It had been my job to scout for her, and I had very much confirmed she was here.

I told him Courtney had arrived and he didn't seem surprised, as usual. I wondered why I bothered to tell the man anything if he had everything figured out in the mastermind head of his. "I suppose one of us should serve on the royal staff so we can keep a closer watch on Allison." Taylor suggested, fixing his cuff. The wind caught the scent of blood in the air, I had to keep the vampire within contained enough to keep the red from coming to my eyes.

"Yes, some_one_ should." I agreed and simply looked at him with an implied glint in my icy eye.

He scowled a tiny bit, defeated with his own notion, and entered within the walls through a balcony window. Taylor would dress up as a staff member, I would swoop into the party as a guest. All elements of entering were handled; Courtney would not slip passed our perimeter. I decided to scale down the walls and enter through the front, slip passed security and blend in evenly and nicely with the large amount of guests that had arrived by now.

The formality of the parties worked as such: Arrival and chit-chat, perhaps some dancing and amusing event to work up an appetite, then a three course dinner served in the presence of the host, and after that, the freedom of the party to leave or stay and dance and drink and enjoy mortal activities these nobles did. Ah, the days of the ruling aristocrats seemed so close in memory now as I recalled.

Back when the layered, hoop-dresses with tight corsets were the fashion of the day for women. _Much_ harder to get off than the modern designs.

Nostalgic moment over. The arrival chit-chat was over, it seemed, because everyone was making their way into the dinning room for the meal. Waiters rang bells and guided the guests into the large dinning room; I saw Taylor was already dressed as one of them and doing the same. I nodded my head to a woman who acknowledged my presence as she entered the room; I made it a goal to disappear before Allison could look up from her place at the head of the table and see me. Her heavenly golden curls (was that a new haircut?) dipped as her head looked up from the napkin set in front of her she had been inspecting; I didn't have the chance to see the color of sapphire blue in her eyes behind the dark shadows before I had vanished.

After all, vampires don't sit down to dinner.

.x. Allison

I recognized that the guests, who were all getting situated in a seat at the table for dinner, were eating in the dining room that seemed to have accumulated a tapestry or two of my family seal and a portrait of one of the Lockett kings... King Armando, I think. Things of Lockett family design that hadn't been there earlier. I also noticed the china that was set had tiny little versions of the Lockett seal as a design outlining the ring around the plate. And the napkins had a similar version of my family seal printed on the corners of them as well. I smiled inwardly; a little bit of subliminal messaging never hurt anyone... I glanced up at Luis and pointed out the seal on the napkin. He made an expression of 'guilty as charged' and I knew he was the one who'd themed the guests into my family ethics.

I could only hope it all would stick.

Before I had seated myself at the table, I had been conversing. My short, sweet, first-impression conversations with several of the guests had gone fairly well, especially with Nicki backing me up when needed. The people were nice and friendly, for the most part. Prime Minister Davidson would offer a hand every now and then when the group I talked too didn't take a shine to me right away.

So far, everything seemed to be going well.

Until a certain man, a man whom I'd been warned I would not like and was plotting against me, reared his big, loathsome skull in my dining room.

Nicolas signaled his arrival and reminded me softly to _'Be nice.'_ Chairmen Victor Coffin walked into the room with a frown hanging under his gray mustache; his eyes were speculating the scene around him and he didn't seem to have a good review in mind from his dull expression. On his arm clung a woman of equal misery, a petite thing with a ring on her finger that labeled her his wife. I wondered for a moment if she was once a gleeful person in life and he made her the way she was now, or if they were made somber for each other. And don't forget their fabulous daughter; at first glance I could tell she was a spoiled, only child. I felt Nicolas stiffen when she waved and winked at him. So she was the one he was pressured into marrying...

They took a seat three chairs down from my right; and rudely enough they were the last arrive, late. After a short round of beginning speeches, appraisal for the guest's attendance, grace, so on and so forth, dinner was served.

Conversations were thrift; I was mostly answering questions for the more curious of the guests sitting near me. Unfortunately, one of these people near me was Chairman Coffin. He had a face of a grumpy old man who was never pleased; his voice probably made children cry or birds cease to sing.

I could barely contain myself around him! Here he was, insulting me in my own home; well, not actually insulting me personally, but he would say something every other sentence that would imply unpleasant things of my ancestors. Things like "I heard Queen Alicia's bastard son was never found. It's possible that there's another heir out there, more suited for the throne!" Implying he obviously didn't want me on _my_ throne and that my ancestor was some sort of _harlot_... His nerve was impeccable. _You don't say things like that in the royal home while the heir is present, jackass!_ I wanted to shout at him.

But Nicki would nudge my foot when he saw the white knuckles under the table and I would oblige Coffin's listeners with an interesting tale or two of my family's history. They found it fascinating; _he_ didn't seem phased. I was boiling by the time I'd finish my first course. Once their curiosity dwindled down, Nicolas entertained the guests with his signature charm and witty humor. He dazzled every woman in a five foot radius. I couldn't help but notice several male eyes were trained on me as female were trained to Nick. I felt uncomfortable, but not enough to become awkward. I _also_ noticed that Lucy had taken the seat next to Prime Minister Davidson; and that a smile was lit upon her face when the man whispered something in her ear! It was replaced with a small frown and a look of guilt afterwards; I wondered momentarily what was troubling her.

"More soup, your highness?"

I turned toward the voice to see the face of Taylor Halling.

Shock overcame me for a moment... My concentration had almost caused me to not recognize the voice sooner. He was not as white as he usually was; that was probably due to the white shirt he wore to make the contrast less than it usually was from the blacks he wore. He appeared very... mortal, actually. Even in movements; they seemed less calculated and perfect as he bent to take another woman's empty bowl.

I had to remember I was in the room full of people who couldn't know Taylor was a vampire. I narrowed my eyes and let the questions _"What the hell is he doing down here? Why is he posing as a waiter? If he's here, where is Lucas?"_ pass. "No, thank you." I replied after recalling his original question. His pleasantly masked face simply nodded and then he took my bowl away, along with several others. I had a hard time peeling my eyes away from him, wanting to believe he was here for sinister intentions. He simply did his job of the person he portrayed, though... He was waiter Halling, a Halling I didn't know could exist, sitting right next to lover Halling and kind Halling.

I couldn't help but wonder where Luke was, if he was here at all. And wait, if Taylor was here, did that mean Courtney had arrived and he was posing as my staff for protection reasons?

Nicolas pulled me out of my trance by lightly nudging my foot under the table. He would have to do that several more times throughout the rest of the dinner. Finally, when everyone had their fill and had sat for a fair amount of time, and table-talk became less interesting, Luis suggested everyone to the ballroom.

Nicolas led the group with me into the ballroom; the orchestra has already started a song and it was tradition for the host to start the dances. Nicolas led me to the center of the ballroom to do this; I was weary of Taylor and possibly Luke's presence as we walked. "Has anyone seen my husband?" I heard a woman behind me say. It was ignored as Nicolas complimented my behavior and the party so far.

"The people really like you. Granted, it might be a little biased since they are in your palace, enjoying your food... but I think we've made a good impression." We spoke in English, just in case guests near us wanted to eavesdrop into our conversation. His hand clasped into mine and he made the first move into the waltz. Thankfully Luis and I had practiced this one.

"I think so too. Everyone but Chairman Coffin..." I replied, looking over my shoulder at him. He stood with a frown with a glass of wine in his hand; he sniffed it and frowned even further if that was possible. "It seems that nothing is good enough for him."

"He's trying to intimidate you. Don't let him get to you; if the Prime Minister and I have our way, he won't be on the legislative for very much longer." Nicolas reassured. His hand rubbed my side and I nodded.

Speaking of Prime Minister Davidson, I looked over to him and Lucy. She was refusing another glass of wine from a waiter and Henry seemed to be trying to coax her unto the dance floor. I truly hoped she was enjoying herself without restraint; I would find out for sure later when I talked to her.

And as for the waiters; Taylor's white face was among the crowd. He seemed to just be doing the job of a staff member; serving wine and making sure everyone was pleased. How un-Taylor of him. He glanced up suddenly and my eyes instantly followed to where he looked...

I shouldn't have been surprised to see Lucas there, blending into the crowd as best as he could. It was ruined when he had to refuse a drink from another waiter carrying a tray of wine glasses.

"Is something wrong?" Nicolas asked me. My attention was captured back to him again.

"No. I just...want to make sure everything is perfect." I told him honestly. I needed to get away from Nicolas for a moment and go scold Luke...

"You seem a little too distracted for the waltz. I'm going to go check in with my father." he offered, as if in tune with my needs. I smiled and bid him away, almost too happily.

When I turned back around to look where Luke had been, he was right before me. I was caught off guard and speechless for a moment.

"How lovely you look tonight, your majesty." he greeted me with a velvety voice. I accepted the compliment with a _thank you_ and the two of us bowed before I was swept back into the dance.

"Luke, I told you I didn't want you _or_ Taylor in the open-" He seemed to be ignoring me, concentrating on something beyond me. I couldn't help but attempt to look at what.

"See that woman there, across the room, petting her fur coat nervously, and seeming to be looking for someone?" I nodded. "There's a body in the stables she might recognize as her husband; if the face is still recognizable. The rest of his body wasn't, although you might recognize a certain word starting with a _V_." I fully gasped. He didn't allow me to mutter the culprit's name in a silent hatred before he continued. "There was a witness to the murder; the man's mistress. On the other side of this room, eying the wife of the dead man, is another woman in a golden dress that is very jumpy and paranoid. Without looking into her mind, it's easy to conclude they were having an affair right under the wife's nose; Courtney must have caught them in the stables."

The woman in the golden dress looked over her shoulder one moment, then jumped the next when a waiter attempted to offer her a glass of wine. She politely declined, but the man asked her if anything was the matter. She shook her head, crystal eyes wide and struck with an obvious drama within her skull. After the waiter left her, she looked up at a movement in a window high up on the wall; a wind picked up the tree from the outside. This woman, who knew the truth and was not telling a soul versus the other woman on the other side of the room looking for her husband, looking for answers... The irony of the situation was startling to a point I fought myself from going and introducing the both of them in the very stables where the two-timing lover rested eternally. I silently asked Luke where the man's body was now, or if anyone else knew about it.

"Courtney fled when I arrived and that's why the mistress is still alive to tell the tale. She did not see me; but because she was there, I could not clean up the evidence and keep your palace clean of nasty gossip sure to arise from the discovery of his body."

I sighed as he told me this; the very last thing I, and the royal palace, needed was more blood on our hands. Courtney needed to be stopped soon; and not just for my benefit. I'd rather die than let her bring harm to my people. Taylor needed to hurry up with that plan, whatever it was...

I had a disturbing realization and hoped I was wrong. Luke and Taylor were both here fore my protection from Courtney, but... "Is she here, Luke? Here, at the palace."

"I don't believe so. She's not far, though." he replied. He seemed to be trying to sense her with some vampire radar, or something. "I'll go and do a quick perimeter check."

Again, I was left alone on the dance floor. Before another man, more like suitor, could approach me, I made my way over to where I saw Prime Minister Davidson and Lucy earlier. Lucy was missing from his side for the first time that night; he leaned against the table, staring into a half-empty wine glass as the liquid waved around the edges.

"Prime Minister, do you know where Lucy has gone?" I asked with concern spilled into my throat. His look changed from blank-faced to guilt-faced. The troubled look in his hazel eyes resembled the look in Lucy's earlier. He looked half-convicted and half-distraught as he thought about her. "I do know. Not five minutes ago, she told me she "couldn't do this" and went to her room. I didn't feel it was my place to follow or prod." he informed me. Instant worry came to my face.

"Would you please excuse me?" I asked. "Please tell Nicolas I've retired for the night if he comes back."

"Of course," he replied and nearly jumped out of my way as I walked toward the stairs and up to Lucy's room. Everything; Courtney, the dead man, the Chairmen could all wait until I checked on my beautiful and heart-broken angel.

* * *

I knocked on the door as I entered, to give the girl warning of my arrival. I could hear her sobs from the bed before I saw her.

Gorgeous, pale faced with blush and liner running down her cheeks from the tears. I went over on the bed where she lay sprawled out and took her into my arms. She openly sobbed into my chest with a pillow against her face.

"A-ally..." She sniffed. "Is it wrong? To feel for someone else the way I did for Danny _so_ soon? I feel like I'm betraying him, somehow, like-liking Henry as much as I do right now..." She pondered for a moment before sobbing into the pillow again.

Henry, Prime Minister Davidson... Lucy felt guilty for having a good time with him tonight? The man obviously felt for her, and she just admitted she felt for him.

"Lucy, don't feel that way. Daniel would want you to be happy, Luce. You know he always wanted the best for us, if what you need is another to love you as Danny did..." She sniffed again. "It's not replacing him, Lucy." I assured in a more assertive, yet still comforting tone. "Don't think that. Danny will always have a place in your heart separate from anybody else." I rubbed her back now and she wiped the make up and tears from her eyes and nodded.

"I just... miss him so much..." Tears came again. That pillow didn't stand a chance. This time I put my arms around her.

"I know, Luce."

We sat still for several minutes; her tears stilled and she found comfort in me again. I was glad I could help her, and she felt so peaceful now... until suddenly Lucy jumped up and ran to the bathroom. I regretted following her when I had a nice view of her, hunched over the toilet and bracing herself with one hand while her other hand held up her blonde curls, then her dinner coming up in chunks.

My stomach lurched. "Oh, god..." I turned away and fought the urge to do that as well from watching her.

I waited on the bed until she was finished and cleaned herself up; teeth brushing included. "Sorry about that... it must have been what I ate tonight." she told me sincerely.

Odd. My stomach was settled just fine. Perhaps Lucy just wasn't accustomed to my country's cooking yet... Yeah. I'd go with that for now. I recalled a certain party downstairs I needed to be at.

"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, Lucy?" I asked her.

Suspiciously, she shook her head and replied a little too fast, and she looked as if I accused her of something. "Nope, nothing. Thank you." Her smile made me dispel my concern and I was content to leave her presence.

"I would like if you came back with me to the party. You see... _she_ has arrived."

"She? Like, _she_ she?" Lucy asked with a grim look. I nodded. "Alright, let me fix myself up..."

We went back downstairs together, as two friends who enjoyed the life.

* * *

For pretty much the rest of the party; I begged Luis to save me from dancing with several suitors, Lucy apologized to Prime Minister Davidson for her odd behavior, Nicolas was constantly running away from the daughter of Chairmen Coffin, Luke had disappeared and Taylor remained very inconspicuous... The party would have been a complete success if the very ending had been different. From outside ran the woman with the fur coat, the wife of the dead man in the stables. She was screaming and trembling, "he's dead, he's been killed!" at the top of her lungs for everyone to start a riot.

What would have been a nice, anti-climactic ending for the evening finished with local authorities, news crews and an investigator who looked like he and Halling would be good friends, all at my front door step. Within the hour, every guest was interviewed and then escorted off the property. The party ended memorably, I'll give it that.

The last guest face I saw, before I retired up to my chambers, away from the pictures and after the interviewers and the talks with the authorities... was that of Chairman Coffin, shaking his head in my direction while chewing on his pipe.

I _almost_ wished Courtney would get him next. Almost. But then I recalled the seriousness of the situation, and how if that _she-devil_ was in the country now, more of my people would surely be killed. I thought of ways I could help protect them by night... For now, I suggested to a staff member that he lock every door and window tonight. Ones that were not locked should have a guard or two by them. I blame the reason on avoiding infiltration by crazy paparazzi.

"As you wish, you majesty."

All of the publicity and negative rumors sure to leap out was the last thing I wanted right now... But we would get through this, one way or another. Or so I hoped. Luke came to my side as I escorted Lucy safely to her room, demanded Taylor watch her closely as he brainstormed on a plan, before retiring to the safety of my own room, in the safety of Lucas' embrace.

**A/N:** There's now a nifty little tab at the bottom of the page that allows one to review a chapter more easily than before. _So effin' __**review**__! _I promise, it doesn't hurt!


	25. Chapter XXIII

**Note:** I love you guys for all of your reviews! Keep em' coming! (Soldier is ALIVE).

You'll notice with the remaining chapters, I always wimp out on the intercourse. If this were an erotica, then sure; intercourse for _everyone_. But it's not; this is the _story_ of Allison Lockett and her adventure to break the Lockett curse. Not the _erotica_ of Allison Lockett and Lucas Hawthorn. I promise the steaminess will continue to... steam; but there will be no full boil! (harhar my own innuendo). I know, I'm such a tease.

I, again, apologize for the delay in updating. I also apologize for if parts of my chapters seem lazy or rushed or just plain crappy; I've been working on this for around nine months; I'm getting a little low on fuel. But the holidays are here now! It's go time for me! I'm studying for classes, finishing half-read books, and coming closer to finishing this novel! Happy Christmas everyone!

Huge thanks to brunette for helping me with the playlist! (Have song ideas for the characters? Let me know).

**Chapter 23 – Facade**

The night was winding down, but I was just as upset and agitated and angry as ever. First, Chairmen Coffin pissed me off thoroughly, then Luke and Taylor both revealed themselves, _then_ Courtney showed up, the night of the party of all nights, and ruined any golden reputation I had going for me! And now that she was _here_, there in itself was a thousand more worries, for my friends, for my people... I didn't want anymore harm to come to them, to anyone. But tonight, she ruined nearly everything for me by killing a man on my own territory... She was not only sabotaging my country, she was sabotaging my crown. That _conniving, foul, manipulating temptress_...

I looked to Lucas after my angry pacing had subsided. Leaning against a table, still in the nice coat and bow-tie; he didn't look half bad. Scratch that; he looked amazing. If he looked like a god in sweat pants, seeing him all dressed up in the nice suit was like a special treat from the heavens.

If he weren't so handsome, I'd have been much angrier with him.

"Luke, you and Taylor could have completely blown your cover tonight." I began. He rolled his eyes with the _'Oh no, please spare me the lecture'_ look. I glared into his icy eyes, but then turned and put my hands on the frame of the door of the entertainment room. I motioned for him to undo my corset; it was sort of impossible for me to do it myself. He obliged me that. "I won't argue that being present was necessary, since _she_ arrived." The poison that was on my tongue when I thought of her and voiced her existence was bitter enough to kill the mockingbird while it was on its branch. "But..."

"_But_ we didn't blow our cover, now did we?" he replied with a certain smoothness and a tease that instantly stimulated my response. As his words flirted with my ear, his fingers delicately pulled on each binding of the corset of my dress until it was undone. I tried to make an angry, unsatisfied noise in response to his answer, but when his fingers caressed my slender shoulders and ran down my back so that I arched, I moaned with a hostile hint. "It appears to me that you are in need of some serious stress relief." he teased me next in that luxurious voice while drawing my dress shirt over my head. I hadn't even realized I was tense until his cold fingers pressed down and eased my shoulders.

With my submission and ease in response to his voice and touch, I moaned more softly. Still troubled, still angry and stressed beyond assistance; I knew Luke could help me. "Are you suggesting I need to blow off some steam?" I attempted to tease him in return, but it came out more of a threat. The skirt to my dress found the floor under Luke's quick sweep over my hips with his fingers.

Once the cool air touched my fully bare skin, my front roughly greeted the frame as my back reacquainted with Luke's skin. "I'm not suggesting it." he snapped darkly yet playfully, hands roaming my body, sending shivers all over. Just when did he get his shirts removed?

My mind could barely form coherent thoughts, much less conjure the hatred for a certain revenge-seeking vampire bitch with a beauty complex...

Luke nearly hissed in my ear as my body tensed with the hatred for her again. "Snap out of it, Allison." he warned, short nails dragging up along my inner thigh. He then lifted my leg so my core was forced to be more sensitive by tenfold; his lips found sweet kisses to my neck. His affection sent sensations shooting through my body just as powerful as always.

"_Take me_ before it happens again." I retorted with a now impatient demand.

Fortunately for me, my wishes were never declined from him. My back roughly found the soft comforter of the bed in my bedroom chamber; I let out a grunt from the force but the sound was replaced by moans a moment later when he crawled along the length of my body, kissing and caressing my calves, thighs, hips, breasts; he cupped my face and claimed my lips with such a force my teeth felt pain.

Last night was about making slow, affectionate love.

Tonight was about forgetting _everything_ except the raw passion.

* * *

"Lucas." I summoned him, sometime after our love-making and close dawn. He never slept during the night; he was simply behind me, in a swooning position on the bed, tracing delicate designs along my hip and side.

"Yes, my lovely?" he replied with a kiss on my ear.

I tried not to look too flattered. "About last night, how you and Taylor exposed yourselves..."

"I know... I'm sorry for blowing our cover. I know you didn't want us too and I did it anyway, because, well... I wanted too." He told me the truth with a chuckle and a smirk against my neck, even if his reasons were less than to my satisfaction. But that was alright. I didn't expect him- or, I didn't_ want_ him to be my little slave, obeying every command I gave him as a servant would. My only issue was not knowing which wishes of mine he would obey and which he wouldn't.

"That's fine. I'm not angry." I told him.

"Really?" His tone was true surprise; I nodded my head and looked over my shoulder at him.

"Yes; the only thing that bothers me is not knowing if you'll do it again. Break guidelines, I mean. You broke one promise..." he flinched a bit at my words. "Who's to say you won't break another? Like the one where I asked you not to feed on the innocent of my people."

"Allison." His cold hands grasped my shoulders and turned me around to face him. He wasn't smirking anymore. "Taking lives and showing up to a party are two _very_ different things. I promise, if nothing else, that _for you_ I will not take the life of an innocent person... within the borders of your country." He added the last bit with a small smile, though his eyes reflected the seriousness of the proclamation.

I knew I was asking much of him... he fed on live humans, after all. I was basically putting him on a sinner-only diet. Hearing him reassure his agreement to my wishes was overwhelmingly admirable. I kissed him in happiness and relief.

"Thank you." I told him.

"No, thank _you_, Allison." he argued against my lips. He moved over me so the kiss could deepen; so I could taste the death of his mouth, the sweet, sweet death. The cold was uninviting and dripping with danger, yet oddly enough, I loved it. I couldn't get enough of him, it seemed.

"For what?" I asked after he pulled away, after I was left with little breath.

"For being born." he replied with his fang-filled grin. After that he shifted to get up; I reached out to grab his pale wrist like it was some sort of natural instinct.

"Wait." I pleaded. I didn't want him to leave; I never did.

"I have to go. Dawn is coming." This time around, I couldn't hold in my groan. He didn't let the frown in his eyes reach his face. "You know I'll be back as soon as I can. Especially with her in the country now; you shall _never_ be without protection during the night."

He cared, so much. I could see the intensity of it in his eyes. I knew he slept during the day to dwindle thirst; that meant less death to my people. I knew that, yet still I wanted him by my side for every minute of the day. The barrier between a mortal and a vampire was never any stronger than it was in these few minutes before dawn.

"Go back to sleep. I promise, when you wake up, you'll hold a gift from me in your hand."

With one last kiss and a gorgeous chuckle from him, I let curiosity win me over as I fell back into the land of dreams.

Or, nightmares. After Luke had left me and the pleasant images he pressed into my mind to protect me from her invasion of my sleep were no longer a luxury I had, the nightmare dealing with Courtney inevitably returned. _I wouldn't deny one thing. Courtney, no matter what she was or did, was beautiful. When she appeared in my dream, in the darkness with a lone spotlight over her, I couldn't blame Luke for falling for her, for becoming so infatuated. If I'd been him, I probably would have fallen in the same trap. Especially with her sweet voice, soft, curly hair, smooth pale skin..._

_The dream told me all of these things and forced me to think them as true fact. I knew that I hated Courtney, hated every inch of her resemblance to me, yet the dream wouldn't allow me to be angry with her lovely image as she stood before me as if on a stage, born for admiration from others. I could do nothing but admire. The dream wouldn't allow me anything else._

_Her voice was what I heard next, so sweet and tempting. Whoever hear her was like Eve to the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden; inevitably and unable to resist. She spoke to someone now, someone outside of the spotlight. Her perfect white arm stretched out to receive someone, someone I knew. Lucas' grand self appeared inside the spotlight as he joined her on the stage of admiration._

_The icy blue eyes of the vampire Lucas locked with her deep blue; he slipped his fingers into hers and she embraced him and welcomed his body to hers inside the spotlight. Luke was taking the bait with no hesitation, no thought to show I was there, watching._

_Yet I had to recall this was a dream, a possible manifestation of Courtney within my dreams, it couldn't be real, or based off anything that was going to happen or could happen. Luke didn't want anything to do with Courtney besides her death now...right? For the first time, I began to doubt Lucas' love for me; I felt a pang of sickness in my stomach as I watched his pale lips capture hers, his arm reached behind her to wrap around her waist and hold her against him as he did with me; he buried his other hand in her blonde hair and held her close, devouring her with passionate taste. _I forced myself awake after hearing the softest moan from _him_.

Sure enough, when I awoke, I clasped the loveliest rose from the imperial garden in my palm, the sweetest aroma of the flower bringing a smile to my lips. How could I ever doubt him, even for an instant? I sighed, wishing the soft petals could kiss me the way that Luke did; only, in the sunlight.

I knew it was impossible.

* * *

A pretty, spring-themed sun dress hugged my body as I walked down to breakfast on this _fine_ Sunday morn; I was not looking forward to the church service today. I don't think I ever would look forward to it for a long time, not after...

I centered my thoughts as I walked down to breakfast. Perhaps if I just concentrated on something else... Maybe I could list the top twenty American photographers, name the Lockett rulers from start to finish over the last three centuries, or count the cardinals nesting on the blossoming trees on the way to the cathedral... maybe then I could take my mind away from thinking about the cross and the crucifixion of Daniel Peterson. My hand slid delicately along the oak railing of the staircase as I descended and came near the dining room.

"She is lovely, isn't she? Just as I promised." I heard Luis' voice from the dining room. I paused before I walked in and made an appearance, eavesdropping on the conversation. I didn't hear anyone else to indicate he was talking to another person, but he kept on speaking as if in a conversation. "Yes, that was she at the food kitchen that day. Generosity has always been a strong quality in her." He paused, again. I knew he was speaking of me, and I also realized Luis was speaking on the phone. To who, was the question. "Yes, she will be at the service today. ... Alright. I'll talk to you then." The phone clicked as and call ended and Luis chuckled whole-heartedly.

I recognized Nicolas' voice now. "Who was that?" he asked his father curiously.

"Chairman Daine." Luis replied. "Has anyone woken up Allison yet? We're looking at an hour before we should go." he asked.

"Give her a break, father. After the stress she was left with after that murder... Everything would have been perfect last night if it weren't for that." He sounded frustrated. "They'd better catch the culprit soon, so we can move passed this. I know the police think that it was an affair gone wrong, but I heard from the detectives this is related to a string of serial killings that have been seen here before, related to the Lockett family curse. What the public is saying about this is not pretty, father. And blood is the last thing Al needs to have on her image right now." Luis grunted in agreement. Nicolas' voice changed to a kinder tone as he spoke to a waiter; I heard the sound of plates and silverware clashing as a waiter picked them up. "Leave one plate of food out for Allison; bag the rest of it up. She'll want to take the leftovers from the party last night for the people of the church to chew on before the service; but breakfast from this morning she'll want taken to the soup kitchen next to the church."

Nicki knew me all too well. I entered the dining room now, the shoes clicking on the maroon carpet enough to give away my appearance. Both Salvador's dark heads raised, eyes resting upon me like a bee to a flower. Luis smiled benevolently as Nicolas gawked.

"Uhm, good morning." I said to them hesitantly. I didn't want to seem too overjoyed, considering the recent events, or too morose to be a disappointment to Luis's fatherly judgment over me; or seem as if I'd heard their entire conversation.

Luis returned the greeting and went back upon his business; making notes on his electronic device's screen with a tiny stylus, leaving Nicki to recover and speak to me on his own. His dark brown eyes sparkled as his grin hooked upward. A newspaper rested in his hand "You're late. Almost missed breakfast."

"I'm still adjusting to the time change." I told him absolutely, hoping my excuse would be believed. He didn't seem convinced.

"As you probably heard before you came in..." Ah, he caught me. "The party was a success; all but the end. The Chairmen, apart from Coffin, like you and look forward to what else you have to offer this country."

I smiled, but it was somewhat uneasily. "I'm glad. But I'm worried about the public interpretation of the murder here last night. Murder is definitely not a good omen for the more superstitious of the public." I paused for a moment as I took a seat next to Nicolas.

"I just mentioned that; take a look at what the papers have printed." Nicolas set the paper he was reading in front of me, plus a couple others. The front headlines all read something along the lines of "Murder in the Palace; Queen of Blood; Royal Curse Returns with Royalty" I skimmed over the articles; more than half all attempted to imply that I, personally, had something to do with the murder. The media couldn't have been more ready to pin something on me, could they? After I was done, I pushed the newspapers away and picked at my food. I didn't need any of this stress right now... But I would deal with all, one obstacle at a time.

"Oh yes, I would like to help pay for the funeral arrangements of the man. Mrs. Rosada was the name of the man's wife?" I asked. Both of them nodded. "I can't help but feel somewhat responsible, since the tragedy took place here and Mr. Rosada was a guest of our event. Is there anyway either of you can arrange a way for me to speak with her?"

Luis spoke before Nicki could. "Consider it done, I think a private lunch date would be alright, unless she is too grieving to go anywhere besides the church service on this day."

I thanked Luis and began to eat the breakfast left for me. After a few minutes of silence from all of us and the waiters surrounding, I glanced at what Nicolas was reading. A different newspaper, not in the pile of local articles I had pushed away. "What's this?" I asked him.

"Oh yes..." he smiled guiltily, "This came for you in the mail today. A foreign newspaper from a Mr... Thomas Kent." He handed me the paper in his hand, an American paper, _New York Times_ to be exact, with the front article being none other than the suggestion I left Tom, the writer. _Me_. "Runaway Heir Returns Home" by Thomas Kent. I smiled a bit and began to read over it while I ate. When I was done reading the article about me, I couldn't help but notice the one under it called "Wolf Attacks End" by Allen Yingling. The newspaper was dated for yesterday; and if the wolf attacks had stopped there, they would surely start here once the moon was the adequate fullness. Luis had excused himself in this time, becoming more engrossed with scheduling things on his little gadget. Once I was done and I set the _New York Times_ aside, I felt I needed to rid of the silence between Nicolas and I.

"On a lighter note... Or should I say more annoying one, I saw what you meant about Chairman Coffin's daughter trying to make you two a pair. She could not take the hint and leave you alone." I started.

"I _know._" he replied, seemingly eager to break the silence as well, indignation seething from him about the subject. "I don't want to hurt the girl's feelings, but I do _not_ want anything to do with her romantically."

I giggled. He was so sure. "Why, though? She's pretty, seemed not to be as clueless as she looked. I saw a few others who would have liked to have part of her night."

He sighed. "Yeah, sure, she's pretty. Just like every other woman I've ever been around and tried to be matched with. The more I'm tried to be matched with a woman, the less I want to be. I don't know what it is; I just don't _click_ with anyone, I guess. I'm doomed to never find _the one_."

_The one_. I repeated in thought. Men could be deep... on their better days at least. I thought about my possible "one," and how we never could be the way I wished we could be. I sighed and stopped making it a goal to drive Nicki crazy this fine morning. Before the conversation could go any further, Lucy glided into the room, her blonde hair in curls again and she was in a white dress that reached her knees. Always, like an angel; she smiled as she saw me and laced her arms around me for a hug.

"This'll be the first time I actually go to church!" she told me with a mild flare of excitement. She made it a point to look her Sunday best. Or, Lucy best. She looked nice; I was sure Prime Minister Davidson would appreciate her too.

"That explains a lot." I replied with a tease. She punched me in the arm, rather hard.

Nicolas shifted in his seat and reacted instantly to her inflicting injury to me. "Hey! No hitting her majesty. I can have you arrested, you know." He warned. Lucy simply put her hands on her hips and made a half angry, half pouting face.

"Is this guy for real, Ally? Tell your dog to _heel_ before I kick him in the muzzle." She glared at him while she spoke to me.

In response, he literally made a growling sound and stood up to tower over Lucy's shorter form. He smirked as he looked _down_ at her now. At that, she turned around and, defeated, left the room, saying she was going to find Tony.

I gave Nicolas a look. "Is this going to become a habit, Nicki?"

"What?" he defended.

"Treating Lucy so terribly. I noticed you didn't kiss her hand once in the time of introductions. How ungentlemanly of you."

"I don't know where it's been." He retorted and crossed his arms. Sounded like a damn five year old. I rolled my eyes and finished my breakfast. He was probably just jealous that I had made new friends while I was at large and now he had to compete for my attention with someone else close to me...

Soon after the little string of excitement that morning, I was escorted to the cathedral in the backseat of a nice black vehicle; after being declined the suggestion to ride on the decorated Clydesdale. The stable-people told me the horses were not safe to ride for a few more days considering the murder they'd witnessed. I wanted to say "They're just animals" but I recalled I was back in my country in a position where I needed to be very careful for what I said, versus when I was in America where I had the "freedom of speech." I didn't want the Animal Rights crowd to be angry with the queen for one little comment.

With the royal guard Nicolas on my left and the royal guest Lucy on my right, the car's driver pulled up to the front stairs leading into the cathedral. My trio was greeted by a mob of reporters, photographers; altogether an Aldorra version of an American paparazzi. Nicolas took Lucy and I by the arm and had to beat his way through the first wave of the reporters, a few "Get out of my way"s coming out before the kinder "Her majesty has no comment at this time" came to his mind. A chaos of rapid questions being fired from the people gathered and microphones being shoved our direction and flashing lights from cameras and... I closed my eyes for a moment and let Nicolas handle getting Lucy and I through the crowd. They all were asking questions about the murder at the palace last night, "Were you involved in anyway your majesty? What are you going to do in response? Do you know who committed the crime your highness?"

I had to ignore them completely; the three of us made it to the top of the stairs where there was a chain of huge, suited body guards making a fence around the entrance of the cathedral; their job was to keep reporters out. We were joined by Luis and his guard a moment later.

"The priest does not want God's home to be turned into a celebrity hot spot." Luis told us. "Handle this, or I will use force." he warned Nicki and I now. Luis liked to make good use of the stronger men in the royal guard; he always had Nicolas try and resolve things peacefully before he used them, however.

I thought of a good threat to scare most of the reporters away. Or at least, get them off of the cathedral's doorstep. "Nicolas. Arrest anyone who dares to interrupt the service today to get a picture or a word from me, or anybody who was with me last night."

"Hear that?! Her majesty will arrest _anyone_ who dares interrupt the service for a picture! You heard me, I will have you arrested if you enter this sacred building with a camera or a recorder. Stand back; hold your interviews for a more appropriate day than the day of the Lord. Ingrates!" Nicolas threatened them all in his authoritative tone. A tone the people had apparently heard before and minded very well. The crowd silenced, save the clicks of the camera as Nicolas stood before them. "The queen attending a religious service on the holiest day of the week is not your chance to get an interview. What is wrong with you people? Are you becoming just as absorbed and icon-impulsive as the Americans?"

Lucy would have been offended with that part, had she understood the language Nicolas was speaking. The crowd dispersed, after a few more choice words from Nicolas, and then we escorted Lucy and myself within, where several guests were waiting in the lobby for the service to begin, chewing on leftover fruit and cookies from the party at the palace last night. This was a time of catching up and meeting new people, where lots of different people with mutual friends all stood around in one gathering place. I was greeted by many familiar faces and several new, in which I was mostly hand-shaking and cheek-kissing. When it was time for the service to begin, everyone shuffled into the sanctuary.

It was tradition for the queen to sit in the very center, on the second story. Lucy sat right by my side; Nicolas and his father to my left. Most of the legislative sat up on the second story as well with their families; apart from Coffin, again, as he was down near the front row with that charming daughter of his. I didn't fail to miss when she glanced up at our level, then waved and winked at Nicolas. I felt him stiffen next to me; I touched his knee and he relaxed again. He smiled at me, his silent thank you. Luis beamed at the both of us; his expecting gaze made me fold my arms to myself.

The entire hour I was in that room; I avoided looking straight. I would look at the stained-glass, at Nicolas' or Lucy's legs, at the people below, the ceiling above... Anything but that giant, golden cross with the perfectly carved sculpture of Christ. A sculpture that gave no censor, save for the loin cloth, to his execution. Just as Courtney hadn't given Daniel any censor; Daniel's execution display was meant solely for my eyes; the red blood running down his bare chest marred with the fateful word of 'Vengeance' was my personal message from the devil's temptress. My memory re-told me the story of his deep hazel eyes dipped with a hint of green but reflected death; red tainted his chocolate curls and dripped in a puddle on the floor below his feet, running along each exposed muscle and strand of barb wire...

This horrific vision came to me when I glanced up at the crucifix, after the crowd stood and knelt for the first time. It didn't take a mentalist to figure out I was edgy and about to lose it when the vision came to me and I was trying very desperately to control the powerful emotions it invoked. It was Nicolas' turn to reach over and comfort me with a hand on my knee when he sensed my distress.

Miraculously, I made it through an hour of being forced to remember Daniel's death. I couldn't stick around to chat after the service; I had to meet Mrs. Rosada and discuss certain financial offers for her... Then afterward I had matters to attend to back at the castle.

I wanted to stray away from Nicolas and Lucy as fast as I could so I could make that lunch date with the new widow in a private section of a cafe' around the corner of the street near the cathedral. Nicolas cautioned me to take him, my royal guard, with me; but I refused and by some miracle managed to slip undetected into the public crowds. The new widow, Mrs. Rosada, was expecting me when I arrived and we conversed over a small meal.

* * *

"I appreciate this gesture, your highness. I really must thank you for trying to cheer me up on such a beautiful day..." Her tone was shaky as Mrs. Rosada told me this. Her plate was only half eaten and her tea virtually untouched; her mascara and liner had ran longer before in conversation and I handed her a napkin to wipe the black mess away from her tanned face. Black because she was currently in mourning; hopefully she had more black outfits than the button down dress shirt and skirt.

"You said you wanted to attend the funeral?" she continued after her face was clear. "The funeral is going to be held this Thursday, at a smaller church in Frank's hometown... That bastard is going to cost me six thousand dollars!" Her tone, once dipped with sadness, was now a hint of anger. I couldn't imagine to feel what she felt; she was obviously devoted to her husband but he gets killed when involved in adultery. What sort of bittersweet truth is that? I paused when I thought to myself_ "Courtney's sick attempt at humor." _The devil's temptress was laughing at me; spilling blood on my own grounds and getting away with it. For now.

"I'm very sorry for your loss. This is really the least I can do for you." I told Mrs. Rosada after a moment.

The widow sniffed and held a handkerchief over her nose as I took out a pen and my wallet and began to scribble an amount onto a check. After I was finished I ripped the check out and handed it to her.

"I don't want you to worry about costs, or how many of what, or anything to do with money. I just want you to focus on what is most important." I told her. I meant what I said; if I'd just lost a loved one, worrying about money would just be the cherry on top of the stress plate. She didn't need to worry about that any longer with the eight grand enclosed in the check.

Her red-shot eyes drew wide for a moment as she looked at the amount. She opened her mouth to protest as her arm outstretch to hand the check back; but I refused and stood just as my cellphone beeped twice. Perfect timing for my device to remind me I had an appointment. "I am being called elsewhere right now. Keep it, it's an insult to return a gift given to you." I told her politely. She stopped trying to hand the check back and covered her nose with the handkerchief again. "Thank you for your time. I wish the best for you."

I had to excuse myself curtly for two reasons: so she could not refuse my gift, and not to intrude further into her fragile state. It had only been twelve hours ago she discovered her husband had been murdered, after all. The third reason was because I had been invited to sit and observe, _silently observe_, a meeting of the chairmen, the Prime Minister and Regent Luis. It was a quick, one hour meeting once a day to discuss immediate issues or short-term changes within the country and it's affairs, debate on what actions could be taken, so then when an official meeting is called with the witness of a judge, they may make rational decisions felt by the majority of the entire legislative.

Lucy would have found this so boring, I thought as I sat in a chair at the end of the long table the legislative where seated at. I was a part of it, yet so secluded. Chairman Coffin hadn't even looked at me when I walked in the door and thanked the group for allowing me the privilege to observe their activities.

Once the meeting was basically over, after several non-eventful conversations and debates, several of the chairmen wished to stay behind and make conversation with me, wanting to hear my opinions and plans for the country. The country only they had the power to put me in the position of the monarch of.

Luis only wished me luck and then abandoned me as they asked these intense questions.

In this Q&A, with questions like "What is your opinion on decreasing the amount of agriculture in this country so that more houses and businesses can be built? What would you change to improve the education system so that our literacy rates go from eighty-eight percent to the ninety's? What is your take on the French and Spanish governments bribing this country into their territory? Would you support the funding of a military organization to train soldiers?" (the country worked with a system similar to revolution minute-men; if there was ever a time to fight, all who wanted to fight would gather and serve their country. There was no preorganized military the government payed you to be a part of. Be that as it may, it meant our schools taught all graduating students military strategies as a class so that in the time of war, the country wasn't clueless when the people united); I discovered that most of the other Chairmen seemed to take a shine to me, just as Luis and Nicki promised. All but damned Coffin; the man who wanted power over the throne by marrying his pretty little daughter, Cynthia, to Nicolas. It was a despicable plot against me.

The rest of the day after that; I wanted nothing more than to rest. I would get to work tomorrow, harder than ever. But today, the day the lord intended for resting... I wanted to do just that. When nightfall fell over the beautiful sky, I followed Lucy to her room and spent time with her before I headed to mine.

* * *

"How did you like your first church service?" I asked Lucy with interest. She half shrugged, and let a small smile and blush come to her.

"Honestly? It was just a new experience, not as exciting as I thought it was going to be. I'm not about to jump on the conversion wagon to Catholicism, but I think I can get up and go every Sunday with you. I did like one part more than any other, though; here, it seemed like everybody went to the service. Everybody could catch up or meet new people, everyone was a part of it. I liked that."

I nodded my head. It was like that, wasn't it? Lucy was eying me with an odd look, however... I asked her what she was looking at.

"I think I understand now." She began. "The night that..." she paused, hesitated, then found the courage to go on, "you found Danny as he was, and then you wouldn't let me see him. I figured today it must have been related to the church, because you flinched every time you looked up at that crucifix. That's why you didn't want me to see him, wasn't it? You didn't want me to feel what you must feel, every time you're going to walk into that church..."

There was a pause where I simply looked at her, with some guilt, because she found me out, and she reminded me of that pain for a moment. I then gathered myself and attempted not to make her worry more about me. "I swear, Lucy... In another life, you must have been a psychic of some sort. Your feelings and premonitions are never wrong!" I tried to appear cheerful, because she _was_ completely right about the why.

Lucy smiled sweetly and shrugged. "If I was a psychic, I don't have a clue!" she replied. "In another life? Just what are the Catholic beliefs, Al?"

"Ugh, don't even start calling me Al. You've been hanging out with Nicki too much." I accused. She smiled innocently. "But no, Christianity doesn't have reincarnation written down as a belief anywhere. Some people believe anyway, though, that their soul could come back for more of God's work on earth; not really the hardcore caste system reincarnation like in India. Did you know you can be a devoted Catholic without believing in God?"

"Huh? That doesn't make any sense."

"It does. Catholics have a thousand rules of their own to follow. Some people call themselves Catholics because they follow all of those rules, go to church with the family every week, but don't comment about their personal beliefs."

"Why bother being a part of religion you don't believe in, then?"

"Why? Because the cathedral is a gathering place for the community and the religion is a common ground and a circle of acceptance for the society. I am one of those devoted Catholics with no religious beliefs; I will never comment on my personal beliefs to the public, and I avoid talking about them in conversation, but I went through Confirmation and I will continue to attend the services at the cathedral for as long as I have to."

"Shouldn't the people know what their queen is _into_, though?"

"_'A prince must appear to all who see and hear him to be completely pious, completely faithful, completely honest, completely humane and completely religious.'_ Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince." I quoted to her. She raised and brow at me and I smiled; I knew she didn't care for it. "I'm 'into' whatever they want me to be. If I suddenly realize I was born to be a part of a different religion, I would never express it to anybody in this predominantly Roman Catholic country simply because of simplicity. It's easier to go with the flow rather than swim against the current in the aspects of beliefs. I would rather dwell in other subjects like... increasing education, lowering taxes and things of that nature rather than wasting time and energy in expressing and fighting for my own personal aspects."

"You'd rather fight for others than yourself."

"Precisely."

She paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think you're going to make a great queen, Ally. How soon is that council going to crown you?" she teased. I shrugged and mentally crossed my fingers for it to be soon.

"For the next few weeks I'm going to be have to be appealing to everybody's better side, in reverse to if I were crowned, they'd all be appealing to me. All is fair in love and war, I suppose." I wasn't complaining; in fact, I'd already started thinking of ways to raise money for humane organizations and what I could start to help improve in the cities and villages surrounding the capitol.

My attention snapped back up to Lucy, with her dazzling blue eyes and shimmering blonde hair tucked behind her ear. "So... How are you and Henry?" Instantly a beautiful blush came to her cheeks.

"Uhm... Henry, who is that again?" She tried to play the question off as if she didn't know what I was talking about. I narrowed my eyes and saw right through her. "We're just talking, Ally. We aren't even a 'we' yet."

"Yet." I repeated with a hint. She turned a more potent shade of red, and then sighed with a frown. I think I knew what was bothering her; probably the same thing that was last night. "Cheer up, Luce. You know smiles look more beautiful on you." I told her in a soft voice. She brought the corners of her mouth up a little bit.

"I know. Thanks for everything, Ally. Bringing me here, not abandoning me, listening to my ranting..." Delicate tears threatened her eyes. I reached out to embrace her.

"I'm always happy to be here. Like I mentioned before, don't hesitate to seek me out if you need someone to console in. Not even in the next few weeks when things start to get busier." I rubbed her back and petted the blonde hair over her skull as I spoke. She nodded her head and pulled away.

"I'm tired; thanks again." she said, wiping the corner of her eye.

"Anytime. Goodnight, Lucy." I rubbed the top of her hand for comfort, before moving to leave the room and retire to my own.

When I opened the old oak door to let myself into my chambers, I was greeted by the voice of two vampire males in the wits of battle, again. This time they spoke a very rough German. I silently disapproved.

"You need to feed, Lucas. I will maintain Allison's welfare." Taylor promised, sounding very resolute.

"I'm _not_ leaving her now that Courtney is here." Luke shot back with intensity as well as firmness.

"Then drink the last bottle." Taylor offered now. I peeked around the corner to see the green bottle with a dark liquid within; blood. Taylor's white hand was offering it to Luke and he held up a hand to refuse it.

"I can't stand that crap anymore; it's starting to make my head hurt." Luke gripped his head and made a face to show this.

"My point exactly. You feed predominantly from live victims Luke. You have for the past 480 years or so. You can't change that in one or two nights and expect to still be functioning properly. Think of Allison, how you could hurt her if you're too hungry."

Dead silence came over the room. I took a few steps forward; I knew they'd known I was there the entire time. As Luke's cold, icy blue eyes rested on me, he gave in to Taylor's wishes. "I won't be long." he told me, coming in front of me and pressing a kiss to my forehead. A certain promised sparkled in his cool eyes; I knew exactly which promise that was. "_You_ better protect her; or you're dead." he spat at Taylor afterward. Complete with the menacing voice, glare and threatening finger point.

The window to the balcony was open; the white lace drapes around the frame wisped around as Luke exited with magnificent speed.

I watched the scene for a moment and pondered my loss; then I turned to Taylor. He stood on the other side of the room from I, staring at something on the mantle. I felt the need to press conversation between us. I rested in a chair adjacent to where he stood and touched my fingers under my chin.

"We care about my well being?" I teased Taylor coyly, simply meaning to make talk. He glanced my direction for only an instant.

"Hardly." he replied coldly, more coldly than necessary. "But Lucas does, therefore I appealed to his more influential qualities."

"And it is significant because..." I continued. I didn't miss the hostile growl that emitted from him as I continued to pry at him for an explanation. He turned in his place and took a seat across from me in the entertainment room. His eyes had a certain fire in them as he gazed upon me; I knew he was irritated just by looking at his posture, because his face reflected no emotion. He eased when his gaze shifted a bit above my head and he no longer looked directly at me.

"If your and Luke's relationship becomes any weaker, the plan will fail. When I've perfected the plan, it will take _both_ of you and that outrageously strong bond you've formed. I need you and Lucas to keep your bond strong; if he ruins that by loosing control of his thirst and attacking you at any time... Well, we know how well your relationship would be then." he smirked; and I didn't miss a dark glint in his black eyes.

I shivered as I recalled the event in which he was referring. When he stole blood from me; and for _that _a certain degree of hatred and fear was permanently pitted between us.

In the silence, his eyes traveled back down to my face; then, something lower. I heard the pulse in my ears a moment later and I concluded he was staring at my neck. His coal eyes were transfixed and... had he originally been leaning forward in his seat?

"Not to be rude, but please stop staring at me like that." Like I was _food_. I was not, to any vampire.

He cleared his throat that did not need clearing simply to distract himself and his eyes flicked to the ground. "Forgive me." he replied politely. "I've had to share my last few bottles of blood with Lucas so neither one of us will have to feed on more of...you call them your people? Then necessary."

"I appreciate it." I retorted sharply to him, with little feeling.

"I've been limiting my intake while I wait for Julie to send a new shipment, so I am feeling slightly... parched."

"It must be difficult for you to be around me, then." I said carefully, my sapphire eyes traveling cautiously over him and his actions. Taylor was known to drink more than just the bottled blood. I knew that first hand. I was more at ease when he leaned back in his chair and folded his white hands over his chest.

"You must imagine how difficult it is for Lucas, then."

There was a pause where I simply stared at him, trying to decipher what he meant by that comment. "Difficult for what; my blood?"

He nodded. "Blood is priority to all vampires. It overshoots intimacy and, when the blood lust takes hold, common sense. For Lucas to have _been with_ you and not drawn blood... that is quite an amazing feat. Not every vampire can control their hunger when put in an inviting situation like intercourse, when the prey is so submissive..." His voice was so nonchalant, yet so implicating at the same time.

"What are you saying...?" I demanded after a moment.

"Sex will only go so far... and while I don't doubt it's satisfying, the taking of blood tops passion and without that purely ecstatic feeling from his lover, Lucas might not feel completely fulfilled in the way you do." he spoke so calmly about such an intimate topic, as if it were an equation and not a development. "It's simply a barrier in the relationship of a human and a vampire, a barrier that can be overcome."

There was a short pause where my thoughts swam over what he was explaining, and then the core of the conversation caught up with my inner conscience. "Why the hell are we talking about this?" I stood, turning my back to him and paced several steps away to the opposite side of the room. "You're sick for thinking you had right to say that to me. Leave." I decided quickly. To my surprise, he complied and was gone before I had a chance to see him; only hear the oak door creak and click as it was opened and shut.

Not one of my brighter ideas; having Taylor leave the room. He had probably just gone back to my personal library; where he could be in a position to watch over both Lucy and myself. Though I hardly doubted either of us were his top priority at the moment.

I waited for Luke to return. I had changed into a black dress slip and settled on a couch in the entertainment room with a few of the local newspapers near me to read. I was making little notes in a yellow notebook for ideas on what I could do to help improve the country in anyway; it wasn't about impressing the legislative, no. That would come if I did my first job well; taking care of my people. If only I could have put one of Luke's vampire-proof scarfs on each and every citizen of my country, maybe then I would have been a little more at ease as I began to nod off into sleep. Knowing Courtney was out there, ready to kill any person, innocent or evil.

I closed my eyes on the couch, and opened them again in my bed chambers.

Light filtered over the fresh new deep-purple sheets I rested within; a red red rose clutched in my hand to my chest.

This ritual continued constantly for the next few weeks.

**Note:** My Christmas present to you is a boring update; your Christmas present to me shall be 200 reviews!


	26. Chapter XXIV

**Note:** Drama ensues! So, I have the outline for the remainder of the book written down on this piece of paper in my hand. And the way I planned it, this story has seven chapters and an epilogue left; the epilogue and two of those chapters are already written. It's a little saddening, since it's been fun to write this. Good thing there's going to be a sequel, right? On a document with over 300 pages, I have to say nine months of writing is tiring, but well worth the response. Thanks again to my readers.

**EVERYONE! Visit my homepage and find the page for this story.** It has a playlist now! (Gigantic thanks to Brunette-in-Black). Then, look for 'The Adventures of the Vampire Inspector,' the name of the next part to this sequence. The actual sequel to _this_ story shall actually be the third 'book' I write eventually. Kinda like Anne Rice; she wrote Interview with the Vampire, but then went back and had Lestat fill in the blanks with The Vampire Lestat before resuming both stories in Queen of the Damned and the rest of the vampire chronicles.

**Chapter 24 – Barriers**

"The price is wrong on this vanity." I told one of the appraisers pricing items for the upcoming auction. All funds made were being donated to various charities in Aldorra. Just one of the many _helpful_ and _generous_ events I'd been planning and hosting in the last several weeks. "The piece is all oak, crafted by hand and used by Queen Marisa for 45 years. It's worth at least twice as much as the amount listed!" The woman I told this too made a quick note on her clipboard and then followed me on to the next few items. The two of us, and several servants helping to move things around and organize items, were in one of the big rooms near a main hallway. The room was full of old antique items of passed royalty; most of the stuff had just been sitting around the palace as extra junk. Items such as specially made desks, vanities, swords, portraits, tea cup sets, mirrors, necklaces, jewelry boxes, wardrobes... The list of valuable but rather useless items (to me and the people in my estate) were all priced to be auctioned here. I was making sure certain things were priced high or low enough to ensure they were sold what they were truly worth.

"And this sword; the sword of King Tristian! This price for such a weapon with all of the sapphires and rubies on the hilt is an insult." I told the woman appraiser with the clipboard now; she tilted her glasses forward on her face to take a closer look at the jewels in which I indicated.

"Of course. Twenty-_four_ gems... That should add about a five-hundred more to the starting price..."

This process continued for most of my afternoon that day; until soon I had a dinner, once again, with the Chairmen of the legislative and their families. At least three times a week for the passed five weeks, I'd been having dinner with all of the Chairmen, Nicolas, Luis, and Prime Minister Davidson. Everyone important, and their families (and of course my Lucy,) and I must admit, the legislative seemed to really be warming up to me in all of those times.

All of the legislative except for Chairman Coffin of course; because everybody at the table knew (even if they didn't mention it) he wanted his daughter to become the next queen of Aldorra, and not me. Because of this plot against me, he was naturally bitter toward me. At first, his stingy comments and disapproval of everything I did rubbed off on the other Chairmen's opinions. But after the weeks passed and they all had a chance to get to know me, as well as hear more kind words from Henry Davidson and Luis, they all became just as annoyed with Coffin's inability to properly judge me as I had.

Courtney had been in the country's borders during this time. Naturally, deaths and disappearances were to occur because of this. Within the certain time frames of the month, the week where the moon was full enough for Courtney to transform into the monstrous beast, the wolf attack articles I had seen in the New York papers and news reports on television were mirrored in my country's capitol city. The disappearances and wolf attacks became a popular topic at the dinner table once the same topic became popular with the public press. More than once I'd come down to breakfast to read about how another wolf-bitten-body was found by the river. Not a great way to start the mornings.

"Four missing persons in one week. What are the odds?" One woman whispered behind her white-gloved hand to the next woman.

"I hear the detectives on the case are at a dead end. All of the disappearances are not related in any way and no bodies have turned up... yet." An elder Chairman would add, because he had the 'inside scoop' with a cop or investigator.

"Do you think the disappearances are related to those dreadful wolf attacks? I hear a ban of wolves is going to be posted if this continues." Another woman ask.

"And a higher reward price on a wolf pelt." A young man joked. His tough exterior and scarred hands told me hunter.

I stirred the wine around in my glass, quietly, as the guests at the table discussed the subject of the disappearances before the main course was served. Of course, I knew who (or sometimes what) was behind the disappearances. It killed me a little bit inside every time a kidnapping was mentioned and all I could do was listen or read the newspaper article and hold my tongue. I couldn't just tell the people that the culprit was a vampire seeking vengeance. Because _that_ would be _crazy_. Besides, I promised Luke and Taylor I wouldn't expose vampires anymore. Luke warned me countless times, with a dark foreshadowing, that the consequences were dire; once upon a time, Taylor had contemplated killing me so I would keep my pretty little mouth shut about the entire subject. I knew the consequences could mean my death, but ironically, keeping the secret from the people who deserved to know, like my dearest friend Nicki and the families who were victim of Courtney's murder, was slowly killing my from the inside with a strong sense of guilt and justice.

The least I could do, and I had done about a week after Courtney had began to kill, was to make sure everybody stayed in during the night, locked their doors and windows... and the people you _must_ be out at night, have protection of the police force accessible. I payed the department to double their shifts and provide more men to stay out during the nights to protect against whatever animal or person they thought Courtney was.

* * *

After dinner was done, Nicolas and I made out first trip to the mail room that day. He'd asked me about my opinion on the subject of what action would be best to take for a certain situation. I happily obliged him the answer as he took what mail he had from a box with his name on it and sat down at a table. "Are you even listening?" I asked Nicolas, hands on hips.

He delayed looking up, his eyes fixed to a letter in hand. "Hm? Oh, sorry. No, I wasn't listening." He answered truthfully. "I was reading this." He motioned to the letter. "It's _another_ proposal from the parents of a young, _single_ woman looking to marry a potential king for his money and status." My stomach churned a little bit when thinking about the chance of getting rejected from the crown. On another note, Nicolas didn't look the least bit interested in any of the many proposals cluttering the table. There had to be over two dozen. "There's some for you too... from families who have two children. They don't care who takes the throne, so long as one of their children marries into the royalty."

"Ugh, my favorite." I replied sarcastically. I glanced at the second letter in his hand that came from the same envelope; it was addressed to me concerning the single status and interest of their son. These people didn't even bother to fix two separate envelopes for the proposals!

"These are just mine; you have an entire bag in the back of the mail room." He pointed. "The ones here for you are just the ones that were sealed with the envelopes addressed to me."

I let out a groan before I could stop myself. I scolded myself mentally though; it wasn't polite to the families. "I guess we're going to have to meet with all of them, to at least be polite about the rejection by telling each face to face we're not interested rather than sending a letter."

"You know, I have a solution that would fix both of our problems." he told me in a hushed tone.

"I would love to hear it." I replied with exasperation in my tone.

"Never mind." he said quickly, and turned away to open the next set of letters.

Odd. Nicolas rarely held things from me. Or, he used too. I didn't think much of it and let him know I was going to bed.

* * *

Naturally, the numbers the public gave for disappearances of persons and the casualties of wolf victims were not completely correct. Taylor had been having _fun_ cleaning up Courtney's mess within the weeks she began killing.

Luke hardly helped him; one because he never had in the past, two because he refused to leave my side. In fact, I noticed sooner than later that Luke had gone out less and less to feed... Really, the only one who assisted in aiding Taylor in Courtney-clean-up was the vampire Julie; the lovely orange-haired goddess, who had arrived in my presence during my nights. The vampire Taylor had been running low on bottles of human blood, so his loyal underling Julie was quick to bring in a new shipment. It was a huge surprise to me when she appeared in my balcony window, like a quiet and cunning red fox, carrying a large wooden crate labeled 'WINE- FRAGILE' in big red letters. I recalled screaming from the sheer shock, and slight fear that it was Courtney appearing in that window, and Luke had come right to my side to hold me in a protective stance, icy eyes narrowed and expression dark and dangerous. All was well after Julie's soothing voice forced us both to remain calm about her sudden appearance.

At first, I wondered just exactly what her and Taylor's relationship was. After all, she looked very similar to Queen Rebecca, the woman Taylor had fallen in love with decades ago. I figured there had to be more to their relationship than the loyal servant-kind master act Julie and Taylor portrayed and performed. Her catch phrase of the nights, when I had spoken to her, was _'Taylor has requested it, therefore it is done.'_ Talk about devotion... Perhaps their relationship was how Taylor expressed love? Because when looking and speaking to Taylor, he honestly didn't seem capable of such an emotion.

In all actuality, Taylor the dark-haired vampire was unusually cool when I was around him. Which wasn't very often, but often enough for me to notice that his entire demeanor toward my character was tense, sometimes cruel, but overall it seemed like he actually strongly _disliked_ my very presence.

One night I had decided to approach him about this. I recalled the event as I followed the carpet design to the wing where my personal chambers lay.

_I stood inside the private library with Taylor. As usual, he was transfixed to the desk in front of him, plotting and researching for the true demise of Courtney. Luke had headed out to hunt, and I was determined to use this _quality time_ with Taylor to find out the core of his frigid behavior toward me. "You avoid looking at me, or when you do, you become extremely irritated." I had began._

"_And you bring this to my attention because?" He sounded as irritated as I just described him as._

"_Because I wonder what I've said or done for you to behave in such a way." I replied._

"_Would you rather me stare?" he half snapped then._

"_No, but-" _

"_Then I don't see how this applies to anything that involves addressing the fact." he answer curtly._

_I paused for a moment and reworded my earlier statement. "I just wanted to know if it was because I "supposedly" look like Courtney Vengeance."_

_I stabbed a silence straight into the air of the room. How could I help it? He was the one being a little... He stiffened for a moment before continuing._

"_There is no "supposedly" about it. It's unexplainable how much you resemble her. The only difference is that your hair is a bit darker than hers... probably because you both were born at different times in the year. You in the spring, she right before the dead of winter."_

_I stayed silent as he moved across the room, over to the window to gaze out at the landscape. His eyes were glazed over in deep thought. After several minutes, it felt like, he continued and revealed something personal to me._

"_Before, it was easy to think of you as just another mortal. Now that we're here, in the setting of the conflict, and you wear the old designs and speak in such an old-fashioned dialect... I chose not to look upon you because your image brings up very unpleasant and deep emotions and memories. Until I can control them, I will continue to ignore your general demeanor."_

_I thought of Rebecca; the woman and queen whom Taylor had loved. Luke had told me of Taylor's past, how he fell for the lovely queen and gave her everything under the moon after she was turned, until she committed suicide. Only Courtney could be blamed for her weakened state. I remembered the image Luke pressed over me, how much anguish was washed over the dark-haired vampire's expression when he knew his love had taken her life. It was then that everything Taylor had just said made sense to me. He looked upon me in the older European fashions and saw Courtney, the traitor and reason for that anguish, in me._

_I looked up at the face of this vampire; so much emotion existed in him in the images inside Luke's mind. Now, he wore a white mask that dispelled any question to if he dealt with deeper emotions at all._

_I understood then that the white mask veiled over Taylor Halling's face was painted by his existence. He figured it was better, easier, not to convey emotions. How much pity I took upon that poor creature in that moment. If Taylor had appeared to have been the sort of guy who liked to receive hugs, I would have given him one. But he wasn't, so I refrained and simply moved my gaze elsewhere. _

"_I understand." I finally replied simply._

I never mentioned that event to Lucas. I don't think I ever would. I passed Lucy's room on my way to my chambers and glanced at the oak door...

I had noticed several interesting observations about her in the following weeks. For one, the woman was like an emotional roller coaster. One moment she was fun and flirty in the arms of Prime Minister Davidson, the next she was sobbing on my shoulder about missing home and Danny, or other random reasons... Then the girl would be perfectly fine and settled and decline any offer I gave her to return home, to New York. (Where it was actually safer at this point, with Courtney following me around). I couldn't fail to miss the frequent trips to the bathroom, several trips to the pharmacy within the palace (Where the nurse on duty would inform me of my foreign friend's actions if I asked). These actions involved info on pregnancy, of all things. And the third and final significant detail I didn't fail to undermine during the last few weeks was her refusal of fine wine. Lucy, who had turned twenty-one not too long ago, a woman who loved to party and swing her drunken hips in night clubs, spend warm Saturday nights sitting with Daniel in his tailgate with a six pack of cheap beer and singing to the stars once too far gone... _This Lucy_ refusing alcohol of any shape or form for about five solid weeks? I knew something was up. Something along the lines of a developing life. Something along the lines of a child with Daniel's DNA written all over it.

I made a mental note to speak to Lucy about this tomorrow, if she did not bring it up first. I would have came and consoled her tonight, but when I glanced inside her room, my angel with the gift of possible life was asleep, thin form resting beneath the covers of the queen sized bed. Her lithe form's only movement was the slow up and down movement of her breaths. Her beautiful blonde hair sprayed gently around her shoulders and her face let the moonlight wash over the white skin like milk and cream mixed together.

With the moon as full as it was... while Lucy carried a life, another out there would lose theirs. Oh, the irony.

I continued to my personal chambers to find Julie within. I inquired where Lucas was, as I did not see him right away. She had such long, luscious orange hair... The brightness of it almost made me want to braid it, then and there. I remembered her ability was to manipulate actions and thoughts; I shook off the want to touch her hair that was like the summer sun.

"Lucas is attempting to hunt tonight." She informed me. I noticed her emphasis on the word 'attempt.' "He left you this note." She added, and handed me a neatly folded bit of paper with a seal of wax over the fold. Perhaps too quickly, I ripped underneath the wax to free the words enclosed within; but in doing so with haste received a mild paper cut. A droplet of blood streamed down my finger and I didn't miss the movement of Julie in the corner of my eye as her head raised, her gorgeous neck turning to see the red substance. "Lady Allison... Come here, quickly. Let's not waste blood." She commanded easily. And because of my confusion and her power, I obeyed and came toward her, finger held out more her pale, cold lips to wrap around. I gasped quietly as the red was cleaned underneath her tongue, and after that, I bled no more.

Shock and silence overcame my desire to speak in the moment after her head raised and she smiled politely, apologetically. "Forgive me," she began with the smallest blush across her cheeks. "Taylor instructed me to taste a sample of your blood before tomorrow's evening...And since Taylor has requested it-" She began in her benevolent tone, but I cut her off and finished her sentence.

"_Therefore it is done._ Yeah yeah. I've heard it before. Thanks, I guess." I told her quickly, cradling my licked finger and retreating swiftly to my bedroom.

The note read _'Dearest Allison, if you wish to fall asleep before I return, I wish you the best of dreams. Be warned, I may be out late tonight, searching for something to take a bite out of. I apologize in advanced for leaving you, but Julie will serve as protection in my place until I come back to you. Many lifetimes of love, Lucas.'_

I folded and note and smiled softly, relishing in Luke's sweet words. They meant love, ownership, protection... and they meant something else. They meant he might not return back to me in time to press nightmares from my mind as he had been for the passed weeks. I glanced to my bed with the deep, purple comforter... The color of royalty, but the reminder of the terrible images of Courtney in my dreams. I recalled just some of the nightmares I'd experienced in the shortest of sequences, but no matter how short, they left me with the same feelings every time. Doubt, insecurity, dread, despair. The nightmares had the same themes; My death, my misery, my pain. Courtney invoked these differently each time. Sometimes she stole Luke's admiration from me, once I saw the murder of my mother, the murder of Daniel...

Tonight when I rested myself within the sheets, without Lucas, a new nightmare scenario plagued my plane. _My angel and her long, glossy blonde hair resting on her shoulder as she crouched over on the ground, back facing me. I walked toward her innocent form; she was harboring something into her chest. When I reached the woman, I touched her shoulder. She didn't even react to me. I called out her name. She didn't move an inch. I glanced at what she cradled in her arms... A slimy, bloody creature..._

_A newborn baby._

_I gasped when Lucy gasped. "No, no! Don't take his child from me too! You've already taken him from me, don't take his baby! No! No! Stop, you demon!" Who was she shouting at? She defended the child so frightfully and aggressively. But a moment later, the demon in which she feared entered into the lighted area that I could see... The most beautiful woman I'd ever lay my eyes upon, yet I hated with such an intensity, I would kill with it. Courtney Vengeance._

"_No! Stay away you she-devil!" Lucy shouted. A moment later the slimy, bloody creature was no long in Lucy's pale arms. I heard the child crying in the arms of the vampiress, and then I saw what was left of the child on the ground another instant after. Lucy screamed and threw herself at the ground; I found myself mimicking the same moves as her._

I jumped awake, automatically taking a hand to my stomach out of pure motherly instinct. Good _god_... The nightmares that were so intense, so _real_ feeling. I wouldn't fall asleep again until Lucas came back. I glanced at the clock; not even midnight yet. I decided to go for a shower, to cleanse my sweat-soaked body from the fears.

I had my eyes closed as the water dripped down over me; I relished in the warm feeling of water pounding against my skin. Always had, even in America. Tonight, I fully gasped when a cold set of lips touched my ear. I knew who it was, right away. But just when had he stripped down and entered the bathroom without my notice? I raised my hands in reflex to the surprise; he grabbed my wrists and pressed his body against me. All worries and doubts and fears were automatically dispelled. I cursed myself again for ever doubting him and his feelings. As I turned to him underneath the water, I wondered for a moment if he took pleasure in the warm sensations a hot shower gave. He seemed to almost purr as the water danced along the muscles on his chest, his icy eyes looked upon me and I received a kiss for looking so beautiful underneath the water with him.

"Sleep well?" he asked, a slight concern in his invigorating tone.

"I will now." I replied with a small smile, then kissed him underneath his chin, then again on his collar bone.

The water was turned off and he stepped out first to grab towels for the both of us. "I'll pick you out something to wear." he told me with a sly smile.

I accepted the towel he offered before he left me to my privacy in the bathroom. I sighed pleasantly when remembering the feel of his lips on mine, when wanting to feel those lips everyday for the rest of my days. I thought about my situation of the night.

I would bet money on the chances of _not _finding one person in my country who would accept the ideals I held during the night when I dealt with the vampires, one of which was my lover. It was completely unacceptable and totally scandalous for a woman, _especially_ her majesty, to let a man she was not engaged or married with to share her bed each night within her very own chamber, right under the staff's nose without their knowledge. But of course, the actions that are against the rules are always the most enticing and adrenaline-pumping. If any of the people who respected me found out that I did such things with a man I'd only known for barely two months... Well, it wouldn't be pretty.

Sure, it was libelous; but I enjoyed my nights with Luke like any other person would enjoy their company with their certain somebody. During the day, it was constant duties, appearances and checklist after checklist and dealing with the mortal and the living in masses... And although I wouldn't complain about the royal life I had returned to, because I was born into this life, it was refreshing to settle down during my evening and relax with Luke and Lucy and, yes, even Taylor. To describe it more simply; during the day I had a life very different from the life under the nighttime stars; and these two lives dwell upon each aspect of my personality and enriched my entire person fully, versus if I had just one life or the other by itself.

Weeks had passed since Taylor mentioned one barrier between Lucas and I, the barrier that involved the giving of my blood, and still it was on my top of my mind; like a hot air balloon it would rise time and time again with an unmistakable presence. But I began to realize that and the other barriers between Lucas and I. Barriers that existed between a vampire and a human, between a stalker of the night and a person of the royal court. They hadn't been more apparent before than when I woke up from these fantastic, scandalous nights alone, with the morning sun washing over me and the empty place next to me I longed for Luke to occupy. What existed in that place instead was a fresh rose, resting on the pillow, cut from my own imperial garden. When I brought that rose close to my chest and held it tight, and tried to imagine Luke's body next to mine; how I longed for him to roll around with me in the glorious first rays of the dawn, to wake up and see the sun glowing in his gorgeous blond hair... I would then wonder if he wished the very same when he took one last look at me before he left me alone before dawn.

But I knew it was impossible for a vampire to do these things, and I would continue on with my day in the life that was reciprocal to the one I proceeded in during the night.

The life I proceeded in right now as I dressed into the little black night gown Luke had picked out and hung on the doorknob to the bathroom. He'd decided he like me the best in black clothing in the passed weeks. Actually, the two of us had learned a lot more about each other in that time. We'd gotten closer emotionally as well as physically. Right now, he sat in a chair near the bathroom door, icy eyes closed, his strong hand under his chin, eyebrows furled in concentration. The dark, gorgeous look of the vampire looked up at me, blue eyes swimming with thoughts and admiration and concern....

"Do you think the nightmares are a figment of my imagination, caused by fears and stress, or do you think she's putting them into my head somehow?" I asked for a moment.

"Well... both thoughts are completely possible."

I nearly glared, but my eyes were too worried to be successful in the attempt.

"I mean that... the nightmares could be delusions from your own mind, inspired from our current situation. But they could also be from Courtney herself. She is my fledgling, after all... While it's not proven, it's possible for abilities to be passed down from vampire to vampire like a genetic trait. It's possible Courtney has developed some form of telepathy from me, able to press images into your mind when it's the most unprotected, when you sleep. Your nightmares could be from her, trying to scare you or make you doubt yourself."

A silence came between us for a moment as I looked thoughtfully over to my bed and it's deep purple comforter. I was convinced the nightmares were from Courtney herself. Why would _I_ scare myself so much?

"What are you thinking about?" I asked next.

"Plans." Such simple, curt answers. I had to keep prying.

"For?"

"Mostly the capture of Courtney V. I have several ideas and I've collaborated some with Halling; some with a low chance of working; others with a higher chance of success that you're not going to like very much."

I didn't need to ask him in words. I simply fell gracefully into his lap with my head tilted and eyes challenging him to _try me_.

"One is that I just track her down myself and decapitate her, but she chooses very well-bred humans for her minions. Though they are weak, they are a burden enough to slow me down and leave room for her escape. She's worked Halling with that decoy-with-numbers trick for _decades_..." He shifted under me as he explained and brought his arm underneath my knees. His other hand played with a curly strand of hair that fell over my shoulder. "I thought about an ambush with dozens, but no one's been able to pin her in a corner for any amount of numbers to work. Whether she's in a wolf or human form, she knows exactly how to craftily disappear from our radar." There was a pause where Luke tickled my arm with the tip of the curl. I shrugged it away with a silent giggle and waited patiently for him to continue. He looked directly into my eyes for a short moment, then looked down at our laps. "The other ideas form around the concept of, well, a taste of her own medicine."

"Deceit and seduction?" I asked, voice no longer flirty, eyebrows raised. His facial expression did not move out of thought.

"They involve a spectacular performance, on both of our parts." His head raised.

"I'm guessing these are the ideas you don't think I'll like?"

"Just hear me out. I am the only possible candidate in the world that she would trust and allow weakness to. If I could convince her, lie to her and make her believe that I would never abuse the trust I "want" from her, I could create a location where she is isolated. Halling could form a perimeter around where I lead her to, just in case she suspects and tried to escape. The only problem is that she wants you; and the only way I could get her to move anywhere, _if_ I gained her trust, is if you were the bait."

"Yes, that idea does have a higher success rate than the others." I replied off-handedly after a moment. He sighed.

"I don't want to go through with it; so much could get out of hand if she were to suspect... You could get hurt, either way."

I knitted my eyebrows together. "What do you mean?"

"On one hand," he brought one of his strong, pale hands up. "If she suspects deceit on my part, you could get hurt in retribution or she could get away and we will never have a chance like that at her again. On the other," his other hand raised. "To convince her to a point of no doubt, I might have to... prove... certain things." He chose his words very carefully for a good reason.

I blinked and was silent when I caught unto what he was saying. A pause was cast between us. I left no comment to the last plan suggested.

"What else are you making plans for?" I asked.

"Hm?"

"You said you were _mostly_ planning for the capture of Courtney V."

He blinked. A gesture that was more a check point, to make sure what he'd heard and seen was actually happening. He hadn't expected me to notice little details; the fact that I had persuaded him to reveal what else was on his mind. "In my mind, after everything works out the way that I want it, I think about our future."

"Just how do you wish for everything to work out... and our future?"

"It's nothing..."

"I love hearing about nothing." I declared.

He looked over my features for a moment before giving in. "The way that I see, I mean, the way I want everything to happen... After realizing you are worth sacrificing the rest of eternity for, I try to prove to you that I am worthy, that I am not responsible or meant harm to your family all of the years after I gave Courtney the power to be an immortal monster. I present you with Courtney's corpse, and in some sick, twisted way, the body of the ex love is what you needed to truly know that I only want you, forever more. And our relationship blossoms to it's highest level after you let me take you to the next level; and we spend the rest of eternity together in the world, no longer touched by commitments to the mortal world, by duties, by ancestry..."

"So what you're saying is... if we succeed in destroying Courtney... you would like me to join you and become..."

"A vampire."

I sighed for a moment. It sounded nice, in all honesty. Spending every day and night with Luke, vampire or not. But I had a duty here. The least I had to do was leave an heir to the throne I would leave behind if I abandoned my country, again. _If_ I was chosen for the throne. Nobody's fates was set in stone right now, though.

"I'm sorry, it's too soon to be thinking about anything after Courtney's death. Just forget I've mentioned it." He apologized while taking my hand and placing a kiss on the top of it. I then realized how cold he was, compared to earlier nights. Colder than the ice his skin normally was; it was the cold of death and eternity.

"Luke... You're freezing cold."

"The dead tend to be that way." he replied light heartedly, trying not to worry me.

"No, I meant... You're colder than usual. Much colder." My concern didn't subside as he wanted it too. "I thought you went out to hunt tonight...? How long as it been since you've eaten?"

"I didn't find any prey tonight, my love. It's only been about a week. I can not stand that crap Halling drinks anymore and I haven't found a new criminal anywhere nearby to sink my teeth into." His sense of humor was stunning. "I finished off all the ones who were not in prison last week. Your people in this city are too _good_." he complained. "And I haven't felt comfortable enough to leave you alone long for me to track down a beast big enough to satisfy the thirst for an extended period of time." As he explained, my hands slid to each of his cheeks, warming the iciness of his skin. "Don't worry about me." he added, and gently took my right wrist and placed a cold kiss on the vein there, as if to prove to me he could stand to be around me, despite what Taylor had said... "I'm fine."

I was unconvinced that he was _fine_. But if he didn't want me to worry, I would try not to. I trusted him and his judgment; and I trusted he would never bring harm to me, just as I had trusted him the first night we were together. When I bent down to kiss him, he pulled me down on top of him, which was now into the sanctuary of the bed.

And the rest was history.

* * *

By the end of that intimate encounter, when our bodies shook with the invigorating product of reaching the peak, and it was over... My worries were not expelled.

My breaths were raged and quick and trying to ease with the anti-climactic pause that came between our movements. His sounds were as satisfied as my own; his odd mixture of breaths and growls and grunts that were all wonderful to my ears. My eyes closed pleasantly as I tried to recover, but I felt his weight shift over his place on my hips, adding pressure to the right side as he lifted his left arm and balanced with the right. My own sounds were all I could hear for a moment and I thought it even odder when I'd heard... perhaps flesh ripping. My sapphire eyes flew open in wonder and confusion, and I fully gasped as I looked upon what he was doing.

His left hand was lifted to his face, pale wrist pressed against his mouth which held fangs that sank into his flesh. His eyes were tightly closed, but when the blood poured from his own wrist into his mouth, they opened with the bloody red irises I'd seen only once before. A sensual growl came from him as he did this, his white body shaking as the blood began to drip from the pale wrist and stain my own skin.

I was thoroughly shocked and lost for words as I witnessed this. The cold immortal blood spilling in droplets against my chest made me jump and I gasped again in softer breaths as I was utterly perplexed; the feeling in my eyes and body was uncertainty and alarm, but not fear. My warm hand slid up and down Luke's arm to try and ease him as he bit harder into his wrist after closing his eyes again. He wasn't exactly in pain, but this tremor within him echoing into me wasn't the ecstasy it should have been from blood into a vampire.

"Luke..." I breathed softly, comforting and questioning, trying to calm whatever violent emotion had taken over him from his vampire side to cause him to harm himself. He ripped his wrist away from his mouth and his body curled into itself; his head now resting on my stomach, and the bloody color of his irises had not chilled when he jerked his face upward. Blond hair fell over his red eyes, while they intently focused on something on my chest... My heart was racing again, my head was spinning as his hungry lips moved smoothly to the droplets of his own blood that had run across my skin. My torso heaved as I felt his cool tongue clean those droplets with an attentive hunger. His hands gripped the fabric of the sheets as he continued on, making sure to find each and every spilled bit of blood, wherever it may be on my body. I let out an uneasy cry as my hands fisted into his hair and my body tried to arch away from him rather than into him. His cold tongue tantalized my skin but the dread behind the feeling gave a horrible sweep of emotions through me. He was different than usual; he was now uncontrolled, dangerous, _hungry_.

Finally when he'd cleaned every droplet of his blood from my chest, his tongue trailed straight to the rapid pulse, which only increased as I realized the possibility of Luke taking blood from me in this very moment.

His clenched fangs pressed against the skin of my neck.

I still was confused, but this time with myself. Did I want this? Yes, I did want to give my blood to him when it came down to "yes or no," but _not_ like this... submitting to his hunger right now because he couldn't control his senses and I was just a hint too easy? No! I wasn't ready, I wasn't expecting it! _Please, wait!_ That last thought was voiced in a choked cry as my fingers tightened in his hair. It was then he began to shake and he fought his hunger without my protest. His hands fisted so tightly into the sheets they ripped the material, his body shook violently until suddenly he ripped his entire form away from mine.

"I'm sorry." he grunted, eyes crimson, then darted away to find his pants. His head hung, guilt evident in his voice. "Forgive me..." He didn't turn to look back at me before leaving in a quick blur.

I was left bare, bewildered and alone on those sheets. The only sounds were the wind whistling outside and my own heart pounding within my chest.

I tossed my head back into the pillows and groaned. This didn't help what I'd been thinking about lately... The barriers I feared would be between us were more than just daylight and moonlight after all. I curled underneath the sheets and touched the place of the pulse on my neck, which was still beating furiously.

"_I'm sorry."_ he had said. No, I should be the one who was sorry here. If I weren't so goddamn sheepish when it came to vampires taking the substance they needed to live from my own reservoir... I had a love interest who was a vampire and I couldn't get over my terror long enough for him to take a bite; those two points didn't mix. And he can't help it that he is a vampire, so it's going to have to come down to me and myself changing something to demolish one of the barriers and keep this relationship alive... So to speak.

I would have to worry about this tomorrow night, if he returned... I knew he would, but... tonight didn't exactly end how I really wanted it to. However, during the day, there was another life, different responsibilities and people to please. I needed to rest for that. I took several deep breaths and felt my pulse descend to a normal rate before falling asleep.

**Note:** So, I hope this wasn't too-much-in-your-face or it moved too fast for everybody to understand. I was really trying to pick up the pace and keep the ball rolling so that we can finish this story. I would enjoy **200 reviews **before I update again, and I really want for people to visit my homepage and look at the pages for this story. Oh! And for everybody to vote on my poll. Not too much to ask, I hope.


	27. Chapter XXV

**Note:** You all are too kind to me. Thank you x 1047134652. Ah, I remember when 40 reviews was something to party about. 200 is like, epic. -gleeful- I apologize_ so_ much for the long wait. Hopefully it's worth it.

Someone in the reviews mentioned that Allison shouldn't stay with Luke, and should aim for Nicolas. At first, I thought about that. In all honesty, this can go two ways: Allison can get with Luke or Allison can get with Nicki. There's not going to be some other random guy to pop out and steal her heart, and Taylor's got a girl, so... Let me know what y'all think about the matter.

My first time to EVER write something this intimate when it comes to taking blood. It ain't no Anne Rice....but hopefully it wasn't badly done.

**Chapter 25 – Guilty Kiss**

Blessedly, I awoke very early compared to the rest of the palace the next morning. The sun had not even risen yet; but the early rays of it made soft oranges and pinks on the line of the horizon along the mountains.

Without thinking about last nights events or anything else of consequence, I put on a fresh dress and traveled toward my private royal library, as I did every morning to check on Taylor or Julie or whomever was in the room. Sometimes they had an update for me, sometimes they did not. I paused before I opened the old oak door, my thoughts betraying me and thinking of what happened last night between Luke and I and how Taylor Halling had predicted that very barrier to emerge. Would he know already? Would he have anything to say? "I told you so," for one. I decided to take the salt in the wound and enter.

Thankfully, I very soon realized, Taylor was sitting at his place at one of the desks, shutting out every other soul from his attention so he could have complete concentration on whatever he was studying. I came closer as curiosity got the better of me.

Taylor's coal colored orbs looked intently over a map spread over the wooden desk, the corners held by weights shaped as enlarged chess pieces, a task the dark-headed vampire had been occupied with for several days when he was cooped inside this room and was not cleaning up after Courtney's colorful trail of corpses. The titles of all of the local newspapers were covered in the words of her crimes just as heavily as her victims were covered in blood. As a side note, there had also been 'disappearances' in the city, which were the victims Taylor managed to clean up to keep massacre out of the city's vocabulary. My people knew, though, that the people that were missing were truly dead.

Julie was absent from Taylor's presence because she slept when the sun was risen, as Luke did, and Taylor had payed for a cottage for her to dwell within that was close to the castle but outside the city. No one had ever wished to buy the little home because it had no electrical power, simply a fireplace. Again, I was provoked with the mystery that was their relationship.

Curious to what terrain he was studying right now, I glanced over his shoulder as inconspicuously as I could. The map, I quickly realized, was a geographic one of the capital city that the palace rested just outside of.

I couldn't help but lean a little more over to get a better view. "What are you searching for?" I asked before I had a chance to hold my tongue. My stance shifted straight as I expected a harsh reaction from him in response to my blatant desire into business that wasn't _exactly_ mine... who was I kidding, everything he'd been sticking his nose into in my own library was my business. I could wonder what he was up too, and possibly help him. I awaited a reply; my eyes cast over a spot on the map labeled "courtyard." I glanced outside of the window where the sun had not yet risen upon and saw the courtyard that was depicted.

My sight was stirred when Halling's perfect tenor voice spoke in response to my question. "This country... your country," he corrected easily, his eyes never leaving the page. "Acts like a giant cage that we can use to trap Courtney within. The Pyrenees Mountains prove difficult for Courtney to simply escape or retreat over, should she have a reason to be driven away. That in itself is a step, compared to the larger ranges of escape of where we were located in America." There was a certain scoff in his voice. His hand spread over the map. "What I'm looking for is one place; a building, a courtyard, _anywhere,_" he suddenly jerked his head violently toward the window "Somewhere to corner her in and take her for good this time!" His voice had worked up into a shout now. His hand found the desk from the air, where I believe I heard a few splinters of the wood break under his strength, and I was mildly startled with his quick, violent actions.

I waited several moments, staring at his tense backside, waiting for him to calm and relax those square shoulders and resume his proper position he had been in before; hovering over the map, black coal eyes trained to the lines.

I found myself hovering as well. There _was_ a place perfect for the location Taylor wanted... I wondered momentarily if he had the same plan Luke had mentioned to me before. My fingers traveled along the lines on the left side of the map until they came to a part labeled "Cemetery."

"How about this?" I suggested. His head shifted toward the tips of my fingers. "The Prince's Cemetery has only two exits. The land there is enclosed with nearly impenetrable stone walls and metal fencing since the area was first designed as a fortress. In history, more royals died than lived within, so it became the resting grounds for all of the royal family after the palace was built. It isn't a public place and far enough away from any residence it should be suitable for whatever you wish.

He was silent, with his head bent over the place on the map for several seconds. "Yes." he said finally, in a whisper. "That will work perfectly, I believe..." He sounded as if he doubted himself; he stared at the markings on the map for awhile longer. "Yes." he repeated more soundly, definitely. "Thank you." he added now. His thanks was genuine, and genuine replies from Taylor were a foreign sound to my ears and he surprised me.

I moved from his way as he rose and drew a few more books from the shelves for research. I was erased from his attention again, as when I'd walked into the room, when those coal eyes found the words within those books.

I blinked, taking in every detail that I did not understand about Taylor Halling, before exiting.

The palace was seemingly empty as I traveled through it, and I watched the rising sun paint each room and bring life to the palace that was cast over in the darkness of the unkind night. Pinks and oranges and yellows and purples and blues, all soft and soothing with the warmth of dawn in spring; each made masterpieces on every surface the window panes allowed. I portrait I saw before me was a scene and mood completely reciprocal to the weather forecast posted that stated a heavy storm was on its way to consume the capital city in wind, rain and sound. But I would take the inevitable storm to come any night above this one; I wanted this night to end above all others. I couldn't take my mind off of the confounding events that had taken my lover and I, as I walked through the empty halls in the early morn.

Lucas was the man who was not human yet was more mortal and meaningful to me than any breathing creature on this earth. But in not being human, within himself he housed a cruel and insolent being. It was the vampire that is the darkness of him. This part of him possessed and took without remorse and claimed blood with all the lust of the conquistadors to the new world. Along with his kind, flattering, mortal heart, this darkness was just as much a part of him as the mortality still was. And since I'd accepted Lucas for who and what he was for quite some time now, I couldn't take back my emotions toward him that were wrapped around every inch of his body in a tight binding of something I could only imagine to be love. He was a vampire, with a lust for more than my body and heart alone. His mortal part of him could love me with every ounce of strength but still the vampire would be craving more. Since I knew what his vampire craved, and retained what the vampire lusted after, there was really only one choice that I had when the sun fell behind the horizon tonight.

The scary part was, my stomach fluttered with not only nervousness and anticipation for this notion, I found myself reacting somewhat... excited. Like I was willing and _wanted_ to bend my neck and offer myself to Luke. For a moment I wished that I could speed up time for the day and watch the sunset swiftly so I could have Luke in my darkened chambers and pull back the collar to the expensive silk dress and let him ravish me in every sense of the word.

This violent shiver passed down my spine, and I decided that tonight, Luke would have what his vampire desired.

After I decided this, for sure, a decision I didn't make surely last night when he was ready and I wasn't, I traveled to the throne room within the palace. It was a quiet and empty room with high ceilings and large windows; it was a place I could go to take my mind off of things, or contemplate the more significant of them.

The doors to this awesome room were golden and designed by an Italian some two-hundred years ago or so... When I opened them and walked within, a long red carpet led straight to two throne seats in which my blood, by contract, allowed me to sit upon. A place for a queen was before me. The throne seats rested higher than the rest of the room, and I walked closer to those seats and eased myself down upon the stairs that countless subjects and servants had knelt upon to the monarchs that had ruled there, my family and the families before my family (when the monarchy was more than just a simple figurehead as it's been reduced to in all of the great kingdoms today).

In this very moment, I should be sitting in the seat of the queen. My pedigree says that I should, no questions asked. Instead, I'm trying to give my chairmen a reason why I'm worthy of that seat, because my pedigree isn't enough anymore. The "kiss-ass"ing I'd been doing for the passed few weeks was criminal and injurious, all because Cynthia Coffin wanted my seat and Nicolas was romantically available. Why was the seat of the queen so important to have, anyway? Politicians had more power than I really would if I were crowned the queen right now. The most the monarch could really do anymore, if they were not actively involved in politics as I planned on being, is veto a law that in its stages of being passed, maybe pardon a serial killer from the death penalty (though I don't see why one would _want_ to do that). I sighed and stretched myself upon the stairs with my chin on my hand.

"Voted" into my own crown. _What are we, a damn democracy now? This is not America._ I thought with an angrier sigh. That would sure be a story to tell the grandchildren, given I ever produced children to produce grandchildren. With my current lover, I was told that was impossible. I opened my sapphire eyes sadly and thought of Lucas again. When it came time for me to marry, hopefully when I was decided for the crown and needed to make heirs with my country's new king, what would I do then? Lucas couldn't be exposed, he could never be my husband, my king, and I could never produce children with him anyway, even if my country did somehow except a vampire king and a half-ling child. (What a kid_ that_ would be).

_If_ I was decided for the throne, which is the reason why I came back to my country and the reason why I was born, how could he and I be together? I wasn't about to take him as a secret lover and marry a mortal man I didn't love. I wouldn't undermine Luke like that and I wouldn't cheat on any man I was married too.

There was always that option of running away again, just as my mother had before me. Running away into the night with a secret lover didn't sound too bad compared to being voted into a crown and cheating on my make-believe mortal husband with a vampire.

I laughed at the terribly dry humor my mind was concocting on the stairs to the throne seats. Why on earth would I be worrying about marriage and lovers when my city was currently on its knees to Courtney's wicked wicked ways? _Allison, you are unbelievable,_ I thought to myself. I stood and wiped the silly feminine thoughts of lovers and marriage away until a time would come when they were more important than the havoc Courtney was wrecking on my country.

I had already done all that I could have during the weeks to warn my people of the danger, without actually warning them of Courtney herself, and keep my people as safe as I could. I suggested everyone stay indoors during the nights, giving the excuse that some sort of pack of wolves or bears or mountain lions were afoot in the rocky mountains (The country's scientists couldn't figure out_ what_ had sunken their teeth into the victims... I knew better). I had sent out search parties for the missing persons periodically to try and perhaps scare Courtney away from city limits for an evening.

The public grew restless and was unsure of the entire situation and my response to it. People were disappearing and turning up dead by the week, and secretly, everyone in my city knew something supernatural was behind it, and they knew I knew something about it.... But I was forbidden to tell a soul the truth, and it killed me a little bit each time I went public and lied to my people while attempting to warn the capital city of "whatever was behind these despicable and murderous crimes." I could only imagine what the Chairmen were thinking of me and the entire situation; I probably looked like an overprotective mother, telling my people to stay in at night ("People have jobs to go to during the night! Tell them not to attend and the economy will be in an economic rut faster than you can say 'America.'" Chairman Daine had said). The entire city was consumed in bad omens and superstitions; some people said these murders were happening because I wasn't back on the throne yet, others tried to say it was because the Chairmen were considering me for the crown. _Bullshit, all of it._

The door creaked as someone entered the room. I was caught off guard from my thoughts, but did not move or turn around to see who had entered. However, I could recognize the voice.

"You shouldn't worry too much. The legislative is practically dancing in your hand, apart from Coffin."

"I know, Luis... It's just-"

"Luis?" The voice questioned. I turned to see not Luis, but his son. Nicolas smiled at the shock apparent on my face.

I let my head hang slightly for a moment. "My apologies. You sound just like your father when the room echoes your voice like that." I admitted, blushing slightly from the mistake. He smiled and walked nearer to me, his hands clasped behind his back. We both gazed upon the throne seats; one for the queen and one for the king. The sun that now casted into the room from the windows overhead settled on the thrones, with their fine gold finish and red velvet seats, they were truly "fit for a king." I faintly remembered sitting on my father's lap when he'd brought me to this grand, bright room for the first time. A memory from long, long ago.

"I so hoped one day I would be the one on the throne." Nicolas admitted softly.

My insides stirred slightly. What did I feel as he said this? A little wave of guilt, because it was because of me he was not going to become king. I gazed upon his stark face; his dark eyes trained to the throne seat with a certain ambition. I felt admiration then; toward him for being so ready to take the throne if I had never come back or if something had happened to me. I glanced away as soon as he turned to look at me.

"Don't mind me. You'll never have to worry about me plotting against you, my _reina_. I am merely your _most trusted_ royal guard." His stance shifted; in his black slacks and white dress shirt he bent his torso into a complete bow toward myself. I wanted to tell him to stop, not to show me such submission and respect; but he bent his head down too so he could ignore my protest. "Your majesty, I am completely at your service." Nicolas told me with his signature smooth voice. He stood straight and cracked a smile; it almost _glittered _with the entire image he had going for him in the light he stood in.

I could nothing but curtsy in return and accept his allegiance.

"Very well." I nodded to him. "My first request... tell me what's been on your mind; what you've been holding back from me."

His smile faded, his tanned face almost drained of color. "No." He told me quickly, like a reflex. My eyes grew in shock as he disobeyed an order from the person he had just sworn allegiance to. "I mean, I can't suggest such a selfish proposition, Allison..."

"You know you can tell me anything, Nicki." I replied sweetly. There was a certain coo in my voice I only used on Luke when he would not reveal something to me. Nicolas gave in more easily than Lucas normally did, signaled as he bit his lip and looked at his feet.

"Alright. Follow me to our "room" in our outside mansion." He told me with a small, almost shy, smile. I grinned in return and followed as I knew what he was talking about; the imaginary mansion made with the maze of hedges out in the Grand Courtyard.

The day was bright and sunny by now. The spring time blossoms were in full bloom, with only a tiny bit of dew left from the dawn on the fresh, green leaves of the trees. I took time to admire the gardening as I followed Nicki passed servants, through the hedge maze and into the square 'room' where the angel statue found home. He showed me a seat on the bench next to the statue and cleared his throat before sitting next to me. He seemed quite nervous.

"Now, please, let me finish before you judge me. In all honesty, it was my fathers idea all along, I was just a puppet too-"

I set a single finger to his lips and quieted him. "Nicolas, disclose this diabolical plan to me, please." I more ordered than suggested. He nodded and swallowed an apprehensive lump in his throat. His finger pulled at his clean white collar to loosen it; he grew more nervous by the moment.

"There is one way that you can become queen...and I could still become king, Allison." he began very, very carefully. Instantly my mind jumped to conclusions. How could I not?

He was speaking of marriage. Irony, was it not? Since I'd been thinking of the very same this morning.

I did as I was told and let the man finish, but the shock was evident in my sapphire blue eyes. "If we were to marry... It's just a silly idea my father has, of course... If you don't want to, you don't have to... The other man you're in love with can be your husband..."

Instant alarm came to my face. I stood immediately. "_Other man_? How are you so sure there's some _other man_, Nicki?" I inquired hotly. He smirked a bit and pointed at my reaction.

"It wasn't as obvious as I make it sound. I just... knew, that there was someone else. I'm guessing since he hasn't been introduced or mentioned to anybody in the palace, he's not adequate or appropriate for the throne."

I let a short paused pass over us and I very slowly sat back down. "The other man isn't adequate for the throne, Nicki. You're right about that. So it wouldn't be right just to marry someone else who is, even if it's yourself. If I were to marry anybody else, it wouldn't be for love."

"And when have royal marriages actually consisted of love at first? Apart from your mother and father. They were the first in a few centuries of Locketts to not be arranged marriages."

"Thanks for the history review." I told him flatly, sarcastically loving how he totally missed my point.

"Most royal couples grow to love each other, because their marriage was arranged for political and inheritance reasons. Ours would be no different."

"'Ours?' Nicolas Luis Salvador, have you and your father been planning this all along?"

"Hey now, Al. No need to use my full name. I am completely willing to give you a choice. My father, on the other hand, had a full-proof plan to ensure I become the next king, by your side if you returned, on my own if you never showed. He assumed you and I would hit it off the moment you returned and he wouldn't have to force us to marry. I see now, that there's another man and the fact you've been immune from my charm since childhood, marriage is not happening."

"Wonderful." I nearly growled. "How could I trust you, trust your father?"

"We're not pointing a gun at your head, Allison! Hell, I haven't even had a chance to finish." I eased and let him continue. "To solve our current dilemma, you succeeding to the throne or not, just announcing that we're _engaged_ would mean instant decision. The Chairmen would see, either way, we're both going to become the monarchs, so they'll just crown you because you are the rightful heir. Also, if we announced we were engaged, it would stop all of the marriage proposals, and it would get little miss Cynthia Coffin off of my back, and desecrate her father's plot to have her marry me. Therein, he'll stop hating you because it's useless for him to continue his plan of marrying his daughter to me if I'm already getting married."

I remained silent and simply let all of the pieces fall into place about the possibilities of his proposal.

In all honesty, just announcing a fake engagement, staging a false marriage (but with all of the legal paperwork) would mean wonderful things on both my and Nicolas' part, as he had explained. Also, if I were to marry anybody, it would be a citizen of Aldorra. Any other noble from a foreign country would just be looking for gaining the small territory for themselves. My point, Nicolas was a citizen of the land. Marrying him would basically lock myself into a _very_ comfortable place within my government. It all made perfect sense, when one looked at it logically, not rationally.

But I recalled the nature of holy matrimony, and how important it was not to use marriage as another political trick. Marriage was worth more than that. Marriage was worth love.

"Nicolas, I'm not going to marry you for political reasons." I decided.

"Allison, would you be willing to at least announce that we're engaged, so then you can exceed to the throne by the end of the week? The country grows tired of waiting for the Chairmen to make a decision, we'll force them to make one if you announce it today, we'll make a public announcement. We can remain engaged for as long as it suits you and then we can break it off at any time."

When he put it like that... No, was this a trick? Wasn't there a law against a queen calling off an engagement? Or was it that women couldn't do that? No, there was never such a law, and Nicolas wouldn't trick me. I glanced up into his dark brown eyes. No deceit, not lies, no ulterior motives. How I knew there were no ulterior motives? His eyes were not glazed over with dark thought and a foreboding essence as Taylor Halling's were most of the time. They were somewhat wide, held in suspense with a sparkling hopefulness as I took so long to reply.

"Alright." I said finally. He looked as if a heavy weight had been lifted off of him. He let out a long breath and finally smiled, his charm coming to his dark brown eyes in glints.

"We'll be engaged by lunch! So to speak." He stood and brought me with him, then he spun me around in a waltz. I attempted to laugh but my smile didn't reach my eyes when I was set back on the ground.

What was the seriousness of the position I just agreed to put myself within? Aside from me, Nicolas thought of this entire situation as... well, as a game. And marrying a queen was far from a game.

I decided for now, as I walked out of the hedge maze with Nicolas, my hand in his, that I would take the consequences of this action later; for now, I would see where it took me.

* * *

Lunchtime brought my and Nicolas' little agreement public to the palace. Nicolas announced we were engaged with his grandmother's ring, which Luis pulled out of his pocket for him when he asked beforehand, (because he'd been carrying it around, apparently). He announced "us" at the lunch table before a toast, and I looked overall pleased and played the part of the happy, shiny and somewhat flattered fiancé. This announcement to my maids and lunch guests, several Chairmen included, brought Lucy's attention to me by tenfold, and it also caused Cynthia Coffin to storm out of the room with very colorful French language.

Lucy knew something was up right away and wanted to know immediately, given that cute but accusing look on her face over at another part of the lunch table. After lunch, the two of us managed to get away from the excited maids and palace gossipers and escape to her room to discuss why Nicolas and I had staged that act.

She sat on the bed and I leaned against a chair as I explained. I couldn't tell by her facial expression if she approved for not. "Interesting." She finally replied after I was done. "You're going to call it off, you say?"

"Yeah, Nicki and I aren't really in love."

"Not like you and Luke are. That's real, babe. But I think Nicolas might have a childhood crush on you!"

I bit my finger a little bit. "I know..." I admitted quietly. "That's why I feel so guilty and don't want to play with his emotions like this. We can't get married legitimately. It wouldn't work with the current conditions."

"Yeah..." she agreed solemnly. "But hey, if I were Nicolas and I had a chance for someone as beautiful as you..." I rolled my eyes as her attempt at flattery, "I wouldn't care if you loved me or not."

"Wonderful, you give in to the "trophy wife" idea too." I complained, crossing my arms. A short pause between us brought on a chance to turn the tables around on her. "So... How are you and Henry, aka the Prime Minister?"

"We're good." she replied simply, touching her toes and rearranging herself around the pillows on her bed. She gaze traveled up to the ceiling, her hand rested on her stomach. I missed no details for the subject that was on my mind.

"I notice you've been eating a lot of different things lately. Having a variety of odd cravings, that is." Nothing changed in her stance. Her blue eyes glanced to another area of the ceiling. Fine, I would just blurt it out. "And you're holding your petite stomach like it were your own baby within the whom."

The blonde's body stiffened completely as these words came from me. Shock and hurt and fear all mixed into her expression.

"Oh, Ally!" she cried in anguish.

I acted fast and came to her rescue as she rolled from the bed and attempted to walk, but her legs simply gave out and she fell to her knees, covering her face with her hands. Several sobs came from her as I held her and didn't let the girl throw herself at the floor. "Shh, it's alright... Tell me what's wrong, Lucy."

"Oh Ally," I'd never heard her sound as defeated and desperate as she had. "I am, I am! I am carrying a baby in my whom..."

My suspicions were proven correct. I felt deeply for her emotionally... I rubbed her back, for her breaths were too rapid for her to speak for several moments, and she continued on.

"What if it's a boy, Allison, who looks the same as he did?" Lucy cried. "What if the child has the exact same eyes as him? I'll have to remember his death every day for the rest of my life! Unless..." her sentence trailed off with an almost menacing attribute.

"No, Lucy! Not...not an _abortion_." I whispered with wide, almost fearful eyes. The thought of a mother killing the life inside herself... The thought of someone else taking that life from her. It disgusted and horrified me. My nightmare from the night before repeated itself over to me in a quick flash.

"I know." she replied; her voice now cracked and broken. "How could I ever think of such an idea? It'd be worse than killing Danny myself." She let her head fall into her warm, petite hands. Tears splashed off her beautiful lashes and ran down her flushed cheeks. Little strands of blonde hair stuck to her face as her gorgeous but desolate blue eyes overflowed with the sorrow within her. Tears I had seen before.

"Let me show you something." I told her, moving over to her bedside table. Within the drawer was the camera I'd given to Lucy, and all of the memory cards with the pictures of our life in New York. I sifted through the memory cards until I found the one with the three of us, she Daniel and I, on a Friday night in the city. I put the card into the camera and sat next to her on the bed and showed her the images. Most of them had a picture of Daniel, smiling as wide as reality would allow. Him, having such a wonderful time with the two of us.

Lucy was smiling and crying at the same time as she remembered those pictures and the wonderful events they depicted. "And this was when he spilled the beer all over the body builder and thought he was going to get the shit beat out of him, but the guy was cool with it because he had a change of pants in his car..." she gushed out in a watery tone. I laughed at her bittersweet smile.

"My point, Lucy, is that you don't have to remember his death. Remember how he lived, with us. Remember the fun times, the laughter, the goodness of him. Remember the romance."

She gasped a little at the last part and cradled her stomach again. "This is all your fault... you and your damn French wine..." she half-laughed half-cried now.

I nodded my head and took her into my arms. "You can certainly blame it all on me if you promise me you'll be strong... I'll help you through every step of the way."

"Thank you, Ally." she smiled, wiping her tears away. She turned the camera off and set it down in a place that suggested she'd look at it again later. "I've never raised a baby before, Allison... Do you think I'll make a good mother?"

"I think you'll make the best mother." I replied, completely serious. Who wouldn't want an angel for a mother?

"Oh no... what do you think _Henry_ will think?" she asked now, with a totally terrified expression on her face and in her voice. "Maybe he won't like me anymore, think I'm a whore..."

"Lucy! He would never think that. He knows enough about you by now, doesn't he?" She nodded her head. "He'll probably he thrilled, after the initial shock. He looks like the good father-type."

"You think so?" She blushed deeply. "Oh my, now you've got_ me_ thinking about marriage..."

I laughed and she escaped to the bathroom to clean her face of tears. I glanced at the clock.

"Oh! Nicolas and I have a public announcement to make. I have to run."

"Have fun." she bid with a slight tease. "Are you going to tell Luke?" She asked before I could escape. I paused for a moment, looking to the floor. I decided not to give her a straight answer since I, myself, did not know. I had a different mission to complete with Luke tonight... I blew her a playful kiss on my way out of the door and she received it with a very cute, pink-flushed smile.

* * *

Since Nicolas told Luis of our 'engagement,' his father couldn't have been more pleased to hear it. He was still beaming as he had at lunch when Nicki told him the _good news_. The public announcement began with Luis introducing us and how proud he was of each of us; this gave Nicolas and I time to discuss what we were going to say or do for the announcement. I glanced out over the crowd; we were set up on the cathedral steps with a podium and a microphone; every citizen who was in their home nearby or gathering in the busy street that ran along the cathedral's location would see us.

For the first time in public speaking, I was nervous.

Nicolas rubbed my hand when he saw this emotion on my face and in my eyes. He, on the other hand, was calm, cool and collected in his dark eyes and under the auburn hair.

"I can't bear to lie directly to their faces, Nicki." I admitted.

"We aren't lying, technically." he whispered under his breath to me.

"It's a false engagement, Nicolas. Of course it's a lie." I replied just as quietly.

"Alright. Then I'll do all of the lying for you. All you have to do is nod your head." I raised a brow toward what he had just said. _'Nod your head'_ like I was some sort empty-headed-puppet-trophy-wife... He instantly caught the insult in his words and bowed his head a tiny bit. "My apologies."

"I'm not like every other woman you've encountered, Nicolas. I actually bite back." He laughed a tiny bit at that. "I don't think you know what you're getting into when you propose _marriage_ with me." I told him, an obvious unsureness in my eyes about the subject.

"It's the perfect pairing, politically and royally. Everyone wins." He sounded sure about that, but I'm not sure if he believed himself with the last part.

I sighed, inwardly defeated. Nicolas was much brighter in attitude than I was about this arrangement. We then stood and came to the podium Luis left open for us. After a few words and the initial statement "We're getting married!" from Nicolas, he wrapped his arm around my back and came unnaturally close. Instantly I knew what was happening.

The only other difference between him and I was that he didn't have something to be guilty about like I did when I leaned in and allowed him to kiss my very own lips, lips that belonged to one man and one man alone. It was a single, guilty kiss.

My stomach felt sick on the way back to the palace. When would this day end?

* * *

Nicolas had managed to disappear from my radar when we arrived back at the palace. I searched for him now to discuss my discontent about the arrangement we'd agreed to earlier this morning, and acted on throughout the day. I wasn't going to call it off just yet, but Nicolas was acting without issue like this delicate plot was smooth sailing, while I was having a hard time being an actress and convincing my audience of our _engagement_. I just needed to speak with him, since he had pressed the idea upon me that we could tell each other _anything_, just as we had when we were younger.

Surprisingly, the hallways that I walked within were seemingly empty. Where were the servants and house guests? Dinner had been served and finished, but there should have been more people in one area of the palace than this! I traveled to the common room on the third floor, following what I thought was the sound of voices. When I came closer to the room, I found my ears to be accurate. I opened the door to a hall that led into the common room with a maroon and golden design of mighty lions. I had every intent to simply walk in on the conversation that was taking place within the room, what was, until I heard a familiar voice mention my name. The conversation's subject was about _me_.

"It's a fake, of course! Allison and Nicolas are faking, so that she can get what she wants!" That blistering voice in an obvious rage... That was Chairman Coffin's.

"I have no objections. They did kiss in a public forum, so it really only matters what the people think. And the public thinks it real, therefore so do I." The recipient was Luis or Nicolas, they did sound similar, from the context clues however, Coffin was speaking to Regent Luis.

I remained hidden around the corner of the archway into the sitting room, I dared not let them see me by peeking around the corner to get a glimpse.

"My daughter is heart-broken to a point she won't summon herself to dinner, and I blame your son, Luis!" Coffin argued now.

"Your family issues are none of my concern, Markus. With their engagement, the Royal Code states that when the heir marries or is to become married, she is more eligible to take to throne than if she and her competition were single. That law was made centuries ago so that siblings found brides faster in order to inherit the crown from the king, you know that. Now that Her Majesty and my son have announced their engagement, the legislative can only hand over her rightful title as "Queen" of this country."

"_Rightful_?" Coffin spat in pure disgust. "Her _majesty_ is staking unnecessary fear into her people for the sheer joy of it! She leads search teams around every other night on a wild goose chase filled with folklore and faeries. The public grows more terrified of her empty actions toward a non-existent threat."

Luis sighed aggressively; I could only imagine him pinching the bridge of his nose together. "I know you think that, but Allison would not draw out such measures unless she had a good reason."

"A reason she will not clearly reveal!" Coffin countered quickly. "I will not blindly follow any leader and dig my own grave in the process."

"What do you want me to propose?" Luis begged now, frustration seething from his voice. "You cannot ignore that there are several disappearances taking place in this city... and being found again in a river again somewhere further off." Luis' voice was more grave now, like he was disturbed by the murders.

"Yes... Disappearances and murders that had only begun after your _precious_ heir returned." Coffin fed in a mocking tone to the regent now. I clenched my fists together and bit my tongue from going out and cursing at him right now.

"Watch your mouth." Luis snapped back at him in the same intensity and anger that I was feeling. "Your crazy insinuations will only result in a restraint from the queen." He warned in a deeper, almost menacing voice.

"She is not the queen yet, Luis." Chairman Coffin's voice had poison on it, like a stealthy snake and its venom. "And if the other Chairman agree with me, that she is _out_ of her mind, then she will never wear the crown. You will continue to rule until you wish to pass the crown to your son and the Locketts that had plagued this country with their curses and blasphemy will no longer be the basis of ridicule for our prestigious Aldorra." His voice was more like a vow, a dark oath rather than a suggestion.

"Remove yourself from my sight before I do something very rash, Markus Coffin." Luis' voice echoed very harshly now. He sounded on the very edge of noble gentleman and violent politician.

Coffin scoffed at Luis' threat before his steps trailed away from where I was. I heard Luis move as well, after Coffin seemed to be gone. A door closed from another exit of the room; I peeked around the corner when the angry, awkward silence left after the heated conversation found its end and the room seemed empty.

With a sigh, since my heart was beating furiously in my ears from Coffin's repugnant comments, I walked into the room and over to the withering fireplace.

"Insolent man..." I muttered under my breath, speaking toward the dying flames.

"What was that?"

I was shocked when an unfriendly tone demanded the question; I assumed I was alone, and I was horribly wrong. I spun around to see the vile expression on Chairman Coffin's face. He appeared from the hallway on another side of the room and walked over to the center of the room where I stood my ground.

After the initial shock had passed, I narrowed my eyes and was not as intimidated by him as I had been in my first week of being back home. There was no point in lying to the man, either. We so rarely had _pleasant _one-on-one conversations, after all.

"I said that you were an insolent man, Chairman Coffin." I repeated, directly into those cold, slate eyes. Was there any signs of life in those eyes? Only the slight fire of disgust and hatred. "You dare walk through my halls, indulge in my food, and still spit on my family name in conversation and plot against me in my very own home! What the_ hell_ sort of respect is that to give to the royal family, and the only heir to the throne of your country, sir." I preached to him, the anger from his comments to Luis still fresh on my emotional palate. Those words were things I'd been wanting to say to the man for quite a while, too...

What happened next I had not expected.

There was a _slap!_ And a scream, which I figured out was my own after the pain set in of Coffin's thick, disgusting hand as it found my right cheek with such a force I was knocked down on the floor, next to a maroon arm chair.

"What an arrogant mouth! I guess it's only expected for a whore such as yourself. Tell me, did you sleep with young Salvador before or after you convinced him to marry you?" He spat at me.

Anger and hatred pulsed through me as this man, if you could even call him that, continued to insult and belittle me! In my territory, in the safety of my home!

I didn't have time to get to my feet again and give Coffin a more physical bit of my emotion before the man's grimy hand found the metal poker from the fireplace and he raised it high into the air above where I was perched so helplessly on the floor.

I shrieked and put my arms out in front of me as he shouted "_Insolent_ whore!" and made the move to strike me down.

...

But the blow never came. I opened my eyes, which I didn't realize I had closed, and saw Luis pinning down my attacker on the floor near me. One punch. Two punches. Three. Four. Five. Coffin wasn't making much of any movements or noises any longer. Luis held the man tightly by the collar when his beating of my attacker was through and began shouting into his face. I didn't really understand what he said; it was very angry Catalan that I didn't have the memory to translate. His expression was pure rage and protectiveness, however.

A moment later, a couple servants and Nicolas found the commotion and entered the room in a hurry to see what had happened.

The blood that was pulsing in my veins and behind my cheek began to make the pain there more apparent. It grew stronger with every second, every voice, every movement.

"Luis!" "What's happened?" "Are you alright, Allison?"

I responded to my name, Nicolas had asked that question. I glanced up toward him from the floor. My expression must have been pure shock or fear, because Nicolas seemed to grow the same expression Luis had; anger and the need to protect loved ones from danger. "Did Coffin do this?" Nicolas demanded, now on his knees beside me on the floor, his hand near the cheek with had a pain in it. I nodded, and then attempted to get to my feet. Nicolas felt the need to help me, but I shooed his touch away and gathered myself up.

I'd received enough assistance tonight.

* * *

"Don't worry, Coffin will be discharged from the legislative tomorrow morning. He won't enter these grounds again without your personal permission." Nicolas assured me after all of the drama from Coffin's attack was said and done.

Luis had dragged the beaten Coffin all the way to the entrance on the first floor, where the police had been waiting. Afterward, he'd been on the phone with every other chairman, not in the palace, to tell them of the event and agree that Coffin be discharged immediately. He didn't forget to suggest that I be crowned as soon as possible and not waist anymore time to claiming my rightful position. That man always had his ambition in mind, and maybe that was a good thing.

At this point, I could have cared less about the throne and the forming restraining order against Coffin. I had been wanting this day to end since the sun had risen, and now it had died with the sun's final rays. The clock chimed eight when Nicolas had walked me back to my personal chambers, being the good friend and pretend fiancé he could be. "Sleep well, Allison." he bid kindly. Nicolas stood just outside the door where Lucas would reside when he came back tonight, if he wasn't already there; Nicki stood just outside of all of the secrets I withheld from him, stood outside the wall between the pretend lover and the real. Ironically, we kissed each other's cheek before I shut him out of those secrets, of that life; him and the rest of the world and enclosed myself within my personal chambers.

I made sure to lock the old oak door tonight. After all, I'd already decided of what I was going to do, about certain issues dealing with my night-life and the creatures of which I'd tied my fate together with.

The day presented several obstacles, some I knew that were coming, others I had not even taken into precaution before today. All of it, however, I would deal with tomorrow. Tonight had it's own obstacle and it needed to be overcome. For prolonged happiness, for luxury, for Lucas and I.

I took a deep breath and pushed off of the door and listened to the sound of my own shoes click against the carpet as I inspected who was within my chambers tonight. I shouldn't have been surprised to see Julie there, admiring a few titles placed over on the bookshelf of the library.

I moved toward her with one question in mind: "Where is Lucas?"

Her pale, gorgeous body turned around when my voice was directed toward her. Her emerald green eyes focused on me for a moment before she very naturally shrugged her shoulders. "He should be arriving soon. How about you go and clean yourself up?" She suggested in her kind, mystical voice.

I, of course, had to obey her. Her and her manipulative abilities. I turned heel toward my bed chamber and stripped down so I could gather underneath the steaming shower water.

After I had taken time in cleaning myself, I simply stood under the hot water for awhile before I was interrupted. The heard the door open, close, clothes fall to the floor, and finally the shower curtain opened to reveal him.

My lover, my gorgeous, ice-blue eyed and god-like body of a man and vampire.... Lucas Hawthorn.

His eyes were covered with the slightly curled, thin strands of blond hair as they were positioned over his forehead... His jaw with somewhat relaxed but I could tell he, as a whole, was tense. What did he have in mind to accomplish tonight, I wondered, if anything at all? Probably nothing close to what I'd decided.

"Lucas." I told him. My tone was sweet but serious, all in one breath.

He didn't reply and stepped into the shower. I saw the icy blue of his eyes now; the color glinted off of the light overhead. He was studying me. Every action, every word and tone I used was judgment. He felt guilty for what had happened last night still. My finger tips reached out to touch him; he was very warm. It was only logical that he went out and fed upon the guilt he'd created... I didn't mind as much as I normally would.

As soon as my touch withdrew from his pale skin, his own hands came to my hips and spun me around; I was pressed against the wall and his body, I arched into the latter and felt his arousal.

"I want to give you myself. All of myself." I told him now.

"Tell me exactly what you mean by that, Allison." he replied in a ragged breath. His first words to me sounded as if he was controlling himself to a point I believe I was paining him. He was denying what he thought I was saying because he wanted it too much and he thought I didn't, but I was indeed coming to that desire.

"My blood, Luke. You're a vampire, with more desires than for my body alone. Take me _and_ my blood this time."

His palm lay flat against the tiles of the shower while his other crawled over my hip possessively. "Are you sure?"

It was like sex for the first time all over again. Both parties wanted it, both parties had doubts. Only one had to be the one to give the permission and submit, the other would lead accordingly. I turned around to meet him, touch him, run my fingers along his jawline and gaze into those beautiful ice-blue eyes, like the beauty of winter with all of it's wonder. "Completely sure."

The water was turned off and I was lifted up and away from the bathroom. A towel found it's way to my skin as Luke tenderly dried every part of my soaking body, like he was preparing some delicate item to be wrapped in the finest of materials. I didn't know what to say, so I was silent and simply stood as he completed his task just as soundlessly. When both of us were dry, he tossed the towel away and stared directly into my eyes. His gaze was so intense it almost burned my insides with the passionate flames ignite. Ever so gently his hands cupped my chin and his thumbs skimmed over my full lips and jawline; and then he tilted my head up and his lips came over mine.

His touches and actions were so gentle, like he didn't want to break a priceless glass treasure. Perhaps he was worried that in this ritual for a vampire to take blood from the human, he would hurt or destroy me, maybe even lose control and take my life. Hadn't he warned me about that the first night we were together? The point, that I didn't need to put into words, was that I trusted Luke in every aspect and I wanted to somehow prove that to him. I didn't want him to feel obligated not to hurt me; I wanted him to take from me what he needed and not sugar-coat the pain from it.

But Luke, who was by nature a ruthless, violent killer, wouldn't do that to me. Perhaps he had a guilty conscience, or there was just something about me, and only me, that he would hold back his craving and coldness from. But Luke would not allow himself to be the monster he was to anyone else toward me, and he tried so hard to give me the humanity of him.

My fingers tips found his backside and I pulled him into me, hard, so that we fell backwards unto my bed, lips still locked. He was less prepared than I and in this tumble, I stuck my bottom lip out a little more so that the impact would bring his fang to that delicate lip and pierce it.

I winced at the slight pain, but it was more like a pinch as his left fang jabbed into the inside of my lip. I couldn't even tell that blood was flowing until my tongue sampled the metallic taste of my own.

The kiss expedited quickly and hungrily at an alarming rate.

I whispered his name when our lips tore apart and he pulled his face over mine so he could gaze into my eyes and find doubt, any reason for him to stop. My eyes were washed over with lust and desire and his... well, I flushed and felt a shiver run through me as his icy irises filled with the red and black of blood fervor, my blood, and his wonderful shimmering blond hair completed the portrait of what he truly was; a vampire, the vampire Lucas.

I whispered this and his hand gripped my jaw. My entire body tensed as he tilted my head roughly to the side and exposed my neck. My eyes flew shut and I gripped my fingertips into Luke's cool back, waiting, anticipating...

His grip tilted my head level again and my eyes gently peeked open as his cold touch ran lovingly down my cheek. "What is it?" I asked innocently. His lips were sewn shut and the mix of icy blue and blood red eyes cooled over, as if he were trying to suppress the strong desire within.

"You need to be completely willing, without fear, or I just can't go through with this." he whispered to me. He cradled my body tenderly.

"I am." I defended honestly. I clasped my hands around the back of his neck and, almost childlike, twisted a thin lock of yellow hair around my finger as I gazed up at his stony, and a hint guilty, expression.

For a moment, he raised his head and closed his eyes, his body became completely still, washed over with calmness. I admired him in this moment, but then he suddenly growled deeply, bared his teeth and flashed them only inches from me. I felt my heart jump within my chest and a small whimper produced from my throat. His guilty expression returned more evidently than before.

I realized, with my heart beating as loudly as the bass of the drums, that what he had just done to frighten me was merely a test, and I had failed miserably. Just as sporadically as my heart, my thoughts frenzied as Luke's head dipped down to the crook of my neck again and I physically froze. He could see them as I recalled certain, terrific memories; the girl in the Vampire Club in New York donating her neck so kindly to a vampire right in the middle of a public area, the horrifying experience demonstrated when Taylor decided to slice into me and steal my blood from their veins; then lastly Luke within my nightmares, my earliest nightmares, when I knew nothing of him besides he was a vampire who tormented my sleep by attacking me in my dreams as the ravished, brutal vampire he truly was.

"Stop..." Luke begged as he saw this within my mind. I couldn't help it; when fear was passed into a human, they lose control over all cohesive thought-processes. I sighed when Luke shifted over me but still cradled me delicately. "I want you, _so_ much... But I don't want to hurt you. I don't want you to think of me as... a cold, brutal killer." His hands tightened their grip for just a second and then he was gentle again. I couldn't even begin to understand how difficult this was for him.

"What can I do to help, Luke? I truly want to be able to do this for you. And I know you won't treat me as a brutal killer would. I trust you."

He paused for a moment. His unique eyes traveled along the lines that shaped me, before he looked into my eyes and then placed a kiss on my forehead. "Center your thoughts, as you do when you meditate." He kissed my lips, where I could still taste blood, "Have no emotions," he moved down to my chest, "no thoughts," then stomach, "no fear."

I did as he instructed as well as I could; I banished all terrified emotions and thoughts that provoked the fear and dwelt upon the simple signals for sexual sensations, which were now being stimulated in lower areas by his tongue. I intertwined my fingers with Luke's hand gingerly and breathed, in and out, save the sensual noises. After I was pleasured, I felt his cold tongue touch the top of my right leg and he nuzzled the spot where a pulse resided with his cold nose as a warning; and then a sharp pain broke the skin against the vein and I cried out.

.x. Lucas

I closed my eyes tightly as she made a terribly wonderful noise when my fangs broke the flesh and vein and my tongue savored the completely satisfying essence that was human blood. Well, not just any human blood; _Lockett_ blood. The taste was not only fulfilling in every way, but she had a fiery, irresistible and a bold taste inside her blood that was truly everything she was, everything I wanted in her, everything I'd decided I loved about her. I was high on her now, surely my eyes were fully crimson at this point.

I had fantasized about doing this since the first time I'd seen her. The fantasy had been so intense, it apparently had even transferred from my mind to her dreams more than once, as she had just shown me. The desire for this ritual had grown more erotic the closer and more intimate our relationship had. But in all of my fantasies, it wasn't even half as invigorating as this was now. Her muscles relaxed underneath my lips and against my fangs; I paused for a moment and let the blood flow naturally over my cold skin, coat my lips and slide down my throat. Then when I lapped at the wound I had created, she jumped and clenched her body; which really caused more blood to gush from the small outlets. At first she tried to watch me; maybe to somehow understand what I was feeling or tasting. But I could hear her heartbeat jump and rise about ten more beats per minute as I locked my red-tinted eyes into her sapphire and she could no longer view my actions. Fear mixed with the adrenaline within her veins, but I rubbed a place on her hip and it dissipated; she began to simply breath the most vigorous breaths and I locked back at the task on hand....or, fangs.

Allison, compared to myself and my power, was delicate, breakable, and vulnerable. My hand on her hip could break the pelvic bone with ease. The lust for blood could reign over the senses she trusted and drain too much. It would only take me three and a half minutes, if I drank straight from an artery, to drain her and she would die. In folklore, vampires are called compulsive counters. I don't know if that's true, but I've always counted the pulse rate of my victims as I drank from them. If her pulse was racing and I had my fangs dipped into the artery in her neck right now, about five-hundred-twenty-five beats later, she would be dead. It was crucial I did not linger or spend more than fifty beats drawing blood from one wound; so I counted internally, almost subconsciously, as I savored.

Fifty beats and half a pint later, I detached my mouth from her skin. When I saw blood still flowing from the wounds, I was compelled to mend the perfect skin I had damaged and not to spill one single drop. Vampire saliva had a purpose; it kept the blood flowing and didn't allow blood to clot after the wound was made. Vampire blood, however, in the tiniest amounts, was the healer. I pierced my bottom lip with one of my long fangs, then kissed the wounds I had made. When the darker red of my vampire blood covered the wounds, they seemed to disappear. My blood healed her skin and left no mark of my presence. I cleaned what mess had been made.

My mind planned on drawing blood from three places in total, and these were the same three places that had teased me the first time we were together. Her neck, her wrist, and the place where my mouth was now over her thigh. Call it a revenge over Allison's blood; for all the times I had the desire and when I was jealous over possession of blood, take _that_, Halling. General amount for donation was about one pint, humans held roughly twelve pints of blood in their body, taking more than four pints would kill her from blood loss...

I drew myself up, above her beautiful heaving chest, and gazed upon her closed eyes, head tossed back, and entire body arched from my actions. Allison gasped when my nose tickled the side of her neck, so suddenly. "Was...that it?" she asked in a breathy, almost shaky, tone. Her voice was soft, shy, and innocent because she had never done this willingly before. The unsureness of what I was going to say to her caused her eyes to be wide and lovely.

"Not at all." I replied.

I smiled and drew her left wrist up closer to my mouth. She understood this was to be next as I glanced up at her. She nodded and seemed to hold her breath; I enclosed my mouth around the vein and pierced the skin quickly, because it would be less painful for her. She produced that terribly amazing gasp again as my tongue swiveled over the small wounds and the pain of my sharp fangs passed as warm blood flowed into my immortal mouth.

She was so sweet, so young, her blood was warm and, since she wasn't fighting me, gentle as I enjoyed it. She would never know just how wonderful, how unbelievably exhilarating this was for me, and what this meant to me on an emotional level for her to allow me to pierce her celestial skin and draw the revivifying substance. My eyes were redder now, I knew, and when I glanced up at her this time, her eyes were fixated on what I was doing this time instead of denying the horror by looking away. I could see all of the emotions that were whirling within her mind through her eyes as she watched me and my mouth over her skin; as she saw the collision of white immortal flesh versus mortal and then the blood that connected the two worlds. My other hand ran its fingers gently down her spine to reassure her, to rid of that horror in her eyes underneath the passion. Her entire body shook as I did this; she was especially sensitive along the spine, and she moaned when my fingers began drawing designs right over her most sensual spot. Her pulse was still racing... twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three... My body rejoiced as I drew this liquid, but I knew she felt nothing even close to what I did, even as I touched her.

_Enough_, I told myself and pulled away. Just as I had the last wound, I cleaned and healed this one as well. I didn't want any scar to mar to her skin from a vampire; it would be disgusting to see her skin covered in nothing but white scars shaped as teeth marks as most donors were, especially _my_ teeth marks. She watched, unlike the last, and many questions grew in her sapphire eyes as I kissed her wound, rubbed a tiny bit of my blood over her, and she felt the pain disappear as the wound healed.

"How-?"

I cut her off by placing a single finger over her soft, succulent lips I wanted to kiss, but resisted since mine were covered in a sweet gloss of her own blood. "It's a trick used to get rid of evidence of fang marks on bodies. Just add a drop of vampire blood to any wound, the vampire blood cells override the human ones and heal the body much faster."

"I'm not going to turn into a vampire, am I?" I couldn't calculate her tone, exactly. It was fear, but at the same time it was excitement. I told myself the pint of blood I'd taken so far was affecting her tone.

"No. If I gave you just as much blood as I'd taken, then you would. The vampiric blood cells would conquer your entire mortal bloodstream and you'd be a vampire before night fell again. I'm only giving you tiny amounts, but I still recommend scheduling a period of time to be in the sun tomorrow." More questions rose on her face. And I didn't want to answer them right now. Her heartbeat was still quick, the blood running through her veins was so tempting; I looked closely at the essence in her neck and became fixated. One final bite... "Ask me again afterward."

"You're not done?"

"Could I be called a vampire if I didn't bite your neck, my love?" I looked back into her eyes and played a grin on my face to fit the lighthearted tease in my voice. Though, this was far from witty sexual banter and sweet kisses between lovers. This was more, so much more. This was connection of body and soul and mind; by blood. What could I say to her to describe to her what this connection meant for a vampire such as myself? Where there words?

Her heart registered a flutter of nervousness, but she smiled and shifted next to me. The fear was melting away, more than ever now. "No. I suppose not."

I caressed her arm with the softest touch and moved all of her silky, long hair out of the way; the right side of her neck was what I was planning on taking. "This one is going to hurt more than the others, so I apologize in advanced."

She kissed my cheek quickly and nestled down on the covers again. God, she was so... _edible _when she looked up at me like that... A quick nod of her head guided my mouth into the crook of her neck. She was so brave thus far; I inhaled the scent over her entire being and let myself be drunk in it as I was high on her blood.

There was no rush. I eased her for this final act of the ritual as best as I could. I kissed up and down an invisible line from ear to shoulder, rubbed her arms, caressed her back and breasts, then held her hand with mine and whispered words of encouragement toward her for allowing me to do this. I silently thanked whatever god there was for delivering this angel to me, because whatever god there was knew damn well I hadn't done anything to deserve such a marvelous gift as she. My tongue touched her pulse and her heart accelerated.

It was time. I sat up and drew her body up from the bed into a kneeling position, so she could lean against my form and use me as a balance just in case her energy abandoned her when I...

My fangs parted over the pulse in her neck and she gasped when an instant later, I pierced the skin without hesitation. Her head fell back, fingertips dug into my shoulders, and entire body arched in a disfigured manner when I'd done this; I held her fast around the waist before she fell away from me. The neck was the most sensitive, most vulnerable point on a human to be wounded; and I had warned her it would hurt more so than the other places I'd touched. She understood now, as she felt this pain, what it meant to be in the arms of the vampire, to be the mortal who sustained the immortal, what it meant to be loved by the damned. I held her fast and didn't spill a single drop as my entire being focused on drawing blood from this neck, from her neck; this warm, delicious substance flowed over my lips and with it came the music of her heart singing its song to the one it gave the substance to. She gasped at first, as my lips and tongue roamed over her neck, never missing a drop, then groaned as my actions became more deliberate and rough, then she screamed when I pierced her neck again and moved her head to rest against my own. Her noises went directly into my ear, and though they were not always pleasurable, it was always stimulating for a vampire taking blood to hear his prey writhe under his power. In its own sick way, whether the prey likes being food or not, I always _love_ it.

I would be wrong to say I didn't lose myself within her blood, even if for just one instant. I had. It was a moment where pure selfish animal instincts told me to drink, and take, and kill, and sustain myself. Because that is the true nature of the damned. The vampire in his darkest, thirstiest hour, knows only how to take blood and savor every last drop until pure satisfaction is consoled. Every moment after that satisfaction merely builds up to the next. And within that continuous cycle of stealing blood from the living lies the irony of the dead thieves known as we. Damn my past, my present, my future. Damn what anybody thought of me, damn who would try and destroy me for what I was and what I did to survive. Damn what she thought, damn if she lived or died, damn her people, her friends, her enemies... In this moment, I drew blood and drank from the devil's chalice.

But a vampire cannot be a vampire without being a human once upon a time; the soul of the human that harbored guilt, love, remorse still rested in the vampire's body when the human had passed. When a soft, sultry whimper fell from her lips and was captured into my ears, and her soft, warm lips kissed my neck under the ear she had just whimpered in; I was brought back to the mortal realm and my sadist nature was dampened. The instant when I embraced the vampire within was lost; all of my selfish thoughts were replaced with the emotions of the human soul and I felt overwhelmed with guilt and affection; had I taken too much blood, had I put her in terrible pain, did she want me to stop and I ignored the request?

I brought my head back just enough to look over her gorgeous features. Please, please don't make those sounds or look at me with fear in your eyes, I thought. If you were anybody else, it wouldn't matter. But you matter, more than you'll know. She held unto me and rolled her head, as if trying to recover from being dizzy.

Apology on my bloody stone lips, I pierced my bottom lip again with my fang and smeared my vampiric substance over the puncture marks and cleaned every drop of red from her god-sent creamy skin until it was perfect again and there was no trace of the damned to be found upon her.

I whispered lovely things against her skin and into her ear; she moaned softly, but what she did next I had not expected, nor had I even thought of it within my fantasies before tonight.

Her warm fingers hooked around my neck and into my hair and she pulled herself into me and captured our lips together, hard. I was honestly shocked for a moment as I felt her body press into me and her lips move over mine and her tongue taste her very own blood from my stained lips. It was so erotic, so passionate; I held her securely around the middle and kissed her until she couldn't breath anymore.

It was only then that I pulled myself away and eased her back into the covers to rest, regain breath...

Or pass out.

_Opps_ didn't quite cover the way her body limped in my arms, apparently I had cut off her oxygen too long for conscientiousness, but her chest heaving up and down signaled to me she was very alive, and very fine. She needed rest now, plenty of fluids and food when she awoke. Donating blood was no game and I wanted her to recover as well as possible. I didn't expect to do this again, either. But the details could wait until later, after she rested and dreamed of pleasant things.

I hovered over her form and brushed a strand of beautiful, golden-like hair away from her perfect face. All I could think as I gazed over her innocence, her mortal breaths, was that she never ceases to amazing me, never ceases to make me feel... alive. Yes, that was the correct word. She made me feel like I had a real, concrete reason to continue on in immortality if there ever hadn't been a reason. Suddenly the days before the ones with her mattered so little compared to these sweet seconds spent in each other's company. I kissed her forehead tenderly, wishing her into the sweetest dreams, and covered her body with the warmest blanket on the bed.

I settled next to her; and thought of pleasant things and pushed them over her mind, in hopes to scare the nightmares away and leave her in peace as she slept. The vampire within began to make a tune and I hummed along, watching her sleep in the darkness.

This was what I wanted, for all time.

.x. Allison

When I awoke again, Luke pulled me up with apologetic kisses and ushered me to the shower. I mumbled in protest, but when I realized I had to do nothing but stand there on my own two legs and that he would be washing me, I hardly complained.

Warm water and delicate soap felt so wonderful on places that felt harmed but held no wounds... In total there were three. Curiously enough, they were on my inner thigh, wrist, and of course, neck. Luke gently rubbed the sponge over all of those places and more. When the water was turned off and he eased me into a heavenly bathrobe and lay me back on the bed, he whispered for me to wait for him to get back before making a move. I could obey that rule easily enough; I almost drifted back into sleep in the few minutes he was gone.

I could not describe the experience that Luke had created for me in that blood ritual. It would like trying to tell one how wind feels; it cannot be done, or at least, put into words. I couldn't even begin to try and imagine what it was like for _him_, being the vampire and all. Better than sex, he says. Just _how_ was that better than sex?! For the mortals, sex would top that any day. But I suppose for a vampire, a different story.

Right when I had tried to drift back into the dream world again, Luke's cold hand touched my shoulder and brought me to sit up. I groaned and tried to dive for the pillows, but he pulled me into his jean-clad lap and wrapped his legs around me so I couldn't get away. Into my own lap, he pressed a very cold tub of ice cream and I jumped from the coldness of it. It was much colder than Luke was now, I noticed. A spoon was put into my left hand as a kiss was placed on the right side of my neck. "Eat up." he commanded huskily into my ear.

I realized just how hungry I was after he pulled the lid off and I got a scent of my favorite flavor inside. With haste I scooped the cold, refreshing food into my mouth, but in intervals enough that I did not get a brain freeze.

As I regained nutrients through food, Luke found a hairbrush and began softly brushing my damp hair. I closed my eyes and felt a whole, complete feeling as he lavished such affection on me and we sat together like this. It made me happy. I paused my consuming and set the tub of ice cream aside as I realized this. He shifted when I stopped eating, maybe thinking something was wrong. I corrected his doubt by turning around in his lap, wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips softly into his. He responded just as gently; which was different than usual for Luke. His hands gently traveled up my legs, underneath the robe, until he secured his grip on my hips and we fell back to lie flat. I moaned when his tongue slipped through my lips easily and tickled the inside of my mouth.

He drew back and set me next to him, still holding me close. "You have no idea how... amazing, that was. No, more than amazing. It was... indescribable, Allison." He covered my face in kisses. I hummed in pure contentment.

"I know it sounds cliché, but it's true. You, Allison, are unlike any other." His voice sounded like a commitment. "I don't deserve you, how could I? I've done terrible things, and still you kiss my blood-stained lips."

I reached my hands up and cupped his strong face, ran my fingers along his smooth jaw and caressed his cheeks. After admiring him for a moment in the dim light, I kissed his lips with a passionate force. We kissed each other for awhile, pouring out our hearts into actions. After I needed breath we separated and lay close to one another for several beautiful, perfect moments.

And then, I heard his wonderful voice say the words for the first time.

"I love you."

They were three simple, one syllable words. Yet held such a powerful statement...

I was overwhelmed with affection, with strong passion and attraction, with gratefulness... _Love._ His eyes locked with mine and told me this silently over and over without hesitation. This was love? There was no question, no doubt in him.

Before I prolonged the silence further with my shock and thought, I jumped on top of him and we made love until just before the dawn.

.x. Lucas

Not exactly the response I was expecting, but I couldn't complain. I doubted she even realized she hadn't said the phrase in return. Even if she had realized, she would return those three words when she felt she was ready. And I would wait for them, because I knew now that what I felt was not one-sided this time and that she _did_ feel the same. I knew it; in her gaze, in her actions. Perhaps she didn't know it _herself _yet. In that case, I would help her become aware.

We lay, tangled in the sheets as well as each other, together. I felt very accomplished as my time was almost up; I'd confessed what I'd been wanting to confess (my love for her), had shown my true self and taken blood and she still accepted me, and gotten to taste her and fill myself on her. _'O ye gods, Render me worthy of this noble wife!' _Was the line that next popped into my mind as I heard her sigh in complete contentment (and happiness) and then gaze up into my eyes. Her arm was under her head; she lay next to me with her silky hair spread gracefully, some touching my elbow I was propped up on. So beautiful, so sweet... She smiled, and I kissed her lips swiftly.

"I'm going to crowned as the Queen of Aldorra today." she told me.

I shook my head in shock. "You are? Why didn't you bring this up earlier!" I demanded not with anger, but enthusiasm. My happiness for her accomplishment. "What made the Chairmen change their mind on waiting?"

"We were doing more important_ things_ earlier." she smiled again when recalling. I beamed as she did not find me repulsive, still. She hesitated to answer the latter question. "And they haven't officially made their decision yet, because they must first expel Chairman Coffin for his inappropriate and violent actions. But Nicolas surrendered the throne long ago, under his father's one condition that I marry Nicolas after I'm crowned so that he can still become king."

My eyes were wide and, without thinking, without asking, I probed within her mind with my ability by putting my hands on her shoulders and forcing her to stare up into me.

In quick flashes of sights and sound, I pulled memories from her mind. I saw the human boy, who was apparently her childhood friend, making a pact with Allison by the morning. They mentioned "Marriage" and "Announcing engagement" then, fresher in her mind, was a zoom on the boy's face. He came closer, and closer, until his eyes fluttered shut... A kiss?!

I pulled out of her mind then; her body rolled with a bit of dizziness, as a human mind usually would when I expressed my power upon their delicate mortal mind.

"Stop! Don't look! Don't ever look into my mind without permission again!" She cried, fighting my grip off of her shoulders and rolling out of the bed. My eyes followed her naked body as she traveled over to the vanity. Her bare bottom sat down on the leather seat before the mirror; she set her head in her hands and slumped over the desk. She was feeling.... shame? Regret? Toward me or what I had seen?

Forgetting what I had saw and taking in the possibility I had mistaken the context, perhaps Allison was not seeing another (and a _mortal_. I scoffed).

"Allison?" I asked, finding a place to stand next to her. I set my cool hand on her shoulder; she didn't even flinch anymore.

"Luke, I'm so sorry... Nicolas and I staged a false engagement to the public of Aldorra so that the Chairman would make a decision and so Coffin would leave me alone... Our plan only halfway worked, however..." she admitted sadly, her tone broken. "Please, look." she pressed me, turning and taking my hand and setting it to her cheek. I instantly saw her attack. This Coffin figure Allison disliked raised a hand to her...then a fire poker?! I jumped with apprehension, but then saw the regent tackle the man to the floor. When I took my hand away from her soft skin and the vision ended, I immediately felt useless for not being able to protect Allison when it counted the most. I was focusing on Courtney so much, I'd forgotten about common mortal threats.

I bent to one knee next to my gorgeous, delicate queen... "Allison. Please, look at me. I'm not angry." Her head was still buried away into her arms on the vanity as I spoke. I understood she was feeling guilty for kissing and becoming engaged to another, even if it was all false. In her conscience, she was true to me. I felt so... relieved, as I realized this.

When her awesome sapphire blue eyes rested upon me, I reached up to kiss her forehead. She couldn't hold back a smile as I did that; forehead kisses were her favorite. "I want you to do whatever makes you happy, Allison."

All of the doubt, unsureness, and insecurity erased from her face as I told her this in a gentle, honest voice. I only wanted her happiness, truly. Besides, I knew any false relationship with some mortal childhood friend could never be as strong as the bond composed tonight, in this very room.

"I love you." I whispered before kissing her gently on the lips.

When I looked upon her face again, the doubt and insecurity had returned, but it was for different reasons this time.

* * *

.x. Allison.

"...I now bestow upon you the sacred crown of the monarch. Allison Lockett, you are hereby known as Queen of Aldorra."

The huge crowd behind me in the sanctuary was silent as the Father placed the crown of the queen upon my head. As soon as it's weight rested on my skull, my people cheered. And they were truly now, my people.

Every missing bit of my being that I had misplaced in America and since I'd come home had fallen into place. It felt like I was where I was supposed to be, in the position I was supposed to be. I glanced up at the cross in the front of the sanctuary in which a bronze Christ was crucified on... I silently thanked Daniel, because without his sacrifice, I wouldn't have been where I was now.

"Rise, your majesty." The Father said. I came from my knees and touched the crown I'd been waiting to receive... I turned toward my people and Lucy with a smile and the noise grew even greater than the flashing of cameras.

I was instructed to exit the cathedral by walking through one of the older, less used hallways and going out the back, where my horse would be waiting to begin the parade through the city. (Since there would be no way I would make it through the crowd that had formed all the way from the pews of the sanctuary to the front entrance of the cathedral). The Father led Nicolas (my bodyguard of the day) and I through this roped-off hallway and at the end, near the back exit, hung three blood bodies from the ceiling.

I hadn't noticed them until my shoes stepped into the puddle of blood. When I was puzzled and looked upward, blood dripped onto my cheek and my crown. I gasped and the two males beside me glanced upward; The Father stained his white priest robes with a drop or two.

Hung from the rafters with rope around the necks, a man, a woman and (I was almost sick to my stomach when seeing him) a child all dangled high above where the Father, Nicolas and I had stopped. Their bodies were half naked, marred with so many wounds that they made the body near unrecognizable, just as every one of the she-devil's victims that had turned up in this city or surrounding rivers.

The blood and bodies were just used to get our attention to the message written in red letters on the ceiling: "For Her Royal Majesty the Queen"

The _gifts_ from Courtney for my coronation had been successfully received as I hunched over and saw my morning's breakfast again. Blood continued to drip and strain the crown upon my head.


	28. Chapter XXVI

**Note:** Remember, you can still review. Thank you to everyone who is still putting up with me. The end is nigh! Speaking of that saying, I just saw "Watchmen," and it was fantastically awesome in both picture and music, apart from the awful over-done sex scene that I was laughing hysterically through. Trevor and I finished reading the book before we saw the film and I thought it was an excellent book-to-screen film, (unlike the Twilight, Eragon, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix films) because most scenes and dialog were taken straight from the comic book. It was literally the comic book brought to life; I was a happy fan. Quite frankly, Watchmen is the greatest trade I've ever read. I highly recommend the comic and the movie, but you're going to hate the ending. (By the by, I'm a total Rorschach fan! I was so angry when I saw what happened to him in the ending)!

Brunette, I remember what you said about Allison not being pretty enough in her picture. So, I thought of the most beautiful person I could think of, and who came to mind almost instantly was Kate Beckinsale. Sexy female star of "Underworld," "Pearl Harbor" and "Van Helsing," she's now the icon for Allison and Courtney in my world. **If anyone can find a mouth-watering picture of someone who looks like Lucas, contact me!!**

Thanks again!

**Chapter 26 – Truth**

Blood. It was an essence that could be considered as sacred as gold or diamonds. It stimulated life, in more ways than one, but it could also stain and ruin and defile. I was petrified in my place as the life of the three souls above fell like a sick, sacred rain to the floor below. In droplets the divine essence ruined the soil beneath my feet and stained the crown upon my head.

When would justice clasp its golden shackles onto the wrists of the evildoer? When would this bloodshed cease?

"My queen, this way." Nicolas told me in my ear, his voice somewhat morbid and alarmed. His hand touched my arm and he led me safely to the exit. I could tell that he felt quite threatened, and at the same time he wanted to protect me in any way he could, whether it be physically or my reputation.

When he pushed the back door of the cathedral open, the sunlight beamed down on Nicki and I, cleansing our bodies from the cold of the death within. I felt a very unique warmth I'd never felt from the sun before; it felt as if my mortality was being vitalized and purified. Difficult to explain. I turned back to see the priest mumbling prayers and making crosses of his body with his right hand. Only God could rest the souls of the victims from the she-devil, I knew.

Within the hour, the same investigators that had been outside of my home the night of the stable murder appeared in the hallway of the cathedral. The same standard questions were asked just as they had been on that night. With a message addressed directly to me, it was a lot harder to convince the local police that I knew nothing about the murders.

The crowd that had formed in that time, full of people and newscasters and reporters that had watched my coronation, now bunched around the rear exit where the investigators and other organizations were, conducting business.

The moments blurred together, every sight and sound came to me in a sort of slow motion as the initial shock of seeing the bodies swept in and out of my mind and body. "This way, Allison. Don't respond to any of their questions." Nicolas suggested very sternly as he guided me to a car so I could be taken back to the palace. The parade following my coronation was going to have to be canceled for now. It was difficult for Nicolas and I to cut through the people without a statement, but somehow we managed. Every hand that reached out to touch me, every voice that demanded to know what was happening or what was going on didn't register until the shock passed through me physically. By then, Nicki and I were winded as we fell into the backseat of the car and our driver headed toward the palace.

How do we spin the twisted web that consumes and runs our lives? Where does the creator go wrong, how does their perfect, flawless image become corrupt? Back in New York, after I'd seen the blood of a friend spilled by the vampiress, and because of that I had decided to embrace who I truly was and come back to my country to lead and support it. Who was I? I was Allison Mary Lockett, daughter of David Lockett and descendant of Stephan and Courtney. I was born with a destiny attached: to free my family and my people from the curse of the Locketts. To free my family from the curse, I had to put a stop to Courtney's lunatic revenge. To free my people of Courtney's lunatic vengeance, I had to destroy her.

On the ride back to the castle my inner voice questioned my actions for the passed several weeks. Courtney was the one kidnapping and murdering and leaving bodies in rivers and hanging on rafters, but _I_ was the one keeping her a secret. _I_ was the one who knew the answer to the question everyone was asking, "Who is responsible?" I was the one who could enlighten everybody on the subject and provide protection to my people with knowledge. I was the one who could warn them of the dangers of Courtney the Vampire and they would believe me because I was now their queen.

From birth it was me who would shine this light upon the curse and eventually break it. Who was I to continue to deny my destiny? As I said before, it was back in New York that I'd decided not to hide anymore, not to run away as my mother before me. Keeping the identity of Courtney a secret from the people who deserved to know, the families of the victims, the investigators, had been killing me from the inside for several weeks. "For Her Majesty the Queen" was the message left by Courtney... Along with three blood-soaked, marred bodies hanging from the cathedral rafters. What more of a statement did you need? Was there anything else you could do to give a large, bright spotlight in any given direction? The public, my people, wanted to know why the serial killings had suddenly been tied directly to me. Everyone looked to me for answers now, the investigators had no other lead. I could see the desperation and raw fear in the people's eyes. They hoped for anything.

I had seen enough blood spilled because of Courtney. I was tired of her killing my people. Something had to be done. With the image of those bodies fresh on my mind, I could no longer keep the secret my life was bound to me to keep.

As soon as the car arrived back at the palace, I ordered Nicki to make the arrangements for a public speaking. When he asked how soon, I replied "Ten minutes ago." Within the next ten, I had grabbed a horse from the stable and galloped back toward the city to hold another public announcement, but this one would be different than when Nicolas and I announced our false engagement.

I was swift and when I had arrived on horseback, my darkened wheat hair windblown and skin somewhat flushed, another large crowd of people was gathered around the steps of the place that all of these public announcements were made. The podium stood empty, the coroners paused nearby with the bagged bodies as I had requested.

I had to be quick, I had to reveal the secret that these people deserved to know before anyone had a chance to question me about the murders or the message left by the killer, or perhaps for Luis or somebody to stop me and claim I wasn't completely "with it" after the traumatizing event I'd lived through earlier in the day. I made my way to the the top of the stairs, and while I stood upon that podium, I took a moment to heed the cries of the people gathered below:

"When will these horrors end?"

"These terrible omens could only mean one thing, now."

"Maybe we shouldn't have supported her as queen..."

"Is it too late to keep Regent Luis?"

"Please do something, my queen!"

"All hail Queen Allison!"

Several different voices sang different tunes, but it was up to me to decide what was best for them. _"__It is necessary for him who lays out a state and arranges laws for it to presuppose that all men are evil and that they are always going to act according to the wickedness of their spirits whenever they have free scope."_ Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince. In all reality, these people did not know what was best for them, as a whole, and it was up to me to decide that and do all I could to make it a reality with all of the influence a figure-head monarch like myself had left.

I was going to give them the information they sought, I was going to recommend the safest way for them to go about their lives during these wicked times, and then my people would be cautious and aware of the danger and ultimately, safer from the danger of Courtney.

I cleared my throat into the microphone. The mumbling crowd grew stark silent. "I know my country will understand better than any other group of people in the world... So I am going to be completely honest with all of you." I paused a moment to take in the suspense of their faces; it was hear I could tell who would believe me and who would not. But it hardly mattered if they did or didn't... "A vampire is among us!"

The crowd burst into an upheaval of strong voices and scared cries. The crowd control who'd helped at the crime scene were now silencing and keeping the crowd in check here. I continued, "The one who is at fault here has caused this country and my family harm for several centuries. Today, the vampire has taken the life of a family within this very city. I'm going to request the faint of heart to look away, for the image is quite disturbing." I signaled to the coroners... Each one of them opened the bags in which the bodies lie, and the people nearby had one close look at the destruction of the villain. People, just like them, that were virtually innocent, became her prey. Several screams and dissatisfied groans came from the witnesses. After that the bodies were zipped again and taken away. I respectfully and morbidly waved the trucks carrying the bodies off.

"If you do not wish to believe me, that is fine. But there was the proof, the vampire is here, bringing death into the holiest and most sacred of places left!" I raised my arm to the cathedral. "I tell you these things because my people deserve to know the truth, total and uncensored. You deserve to know that your loved ones, the bodies that have been found drained of blood in streams and the ones still missing, have all been the victims of this vampire."

One voice spoke before the rest, she was in the front row and she cried out to me in automatic accusation. "But the suspicion and destruction this vampire has caused left us alone after you and Queen Mary left! The Lockett curse, a vampire, whatever it is; now that you have returned, so has it!" she shouted. Some of the crowd seemed to agree, others were reproachful to her ideas. I could see this getting out of hand quickly, a small civil war between supporters of the queen and non.

"I will only speak the truth to you. What you say is creditable. Every single day I did not return to this country after I was of age to take the throne, I was tracking down this killer with my own personal investigation. I know not where the culprit is now other than these country's borders, and I cannot guarantee every citizen's safety while the murderer is at large. But what I can offer you is the capture and disposal of this culprit, for they have wronged not only my family, but this country and its people. I will do everything I can in my power to shield you from this danger, whatever form it comes in, if in return you give me your support as my country. Thank you."

With that, the announcement was finished. As soon as my final words had been said, Nicolas and my other royal guards had finally arrived and tucked themselves through the crowd and allowed me to exit the scene. Questions would not be answered now, but later.

* * *

The initial shock of my statement had seemed to settle over the public after lunch. With Nicolas at my side on a chestnut mare and I upon a black stallion, I had ridden out among the people for an hour or so, answering personal questions they may have had.

I could tell Nicolas was weary of what I was telling; he wanted to believe me, but the idea was so preposterous to him. To the superstitious public, it was easier to buy and believe. As I figured, they were desperate for anything and it was my job to look after them. On our way back to the palace, we rode next to each other in silence, our eyes full of screaming questions. Every once in awhile they would lock and there would be a moment when my sapphire orbs were mesmerized by with fierce dark brown and I would consider revealing to him that Lucy knew, but I would break the eye contact and remain silent. He sighed and would look forward again.

When we'd dismounted in the stables, he finally opened his mouth and broke that stifling serenity between us. "I trust you and your judgment, Allison. I won't make this personal, and whatever your reasons, I will honor your decisions." I could only listen to him words as he should me kindness I did not deserve from him. I was lying and holding information from my dearest friend, and he still treated me as he was. He came before me and grasped my hands in his, kissed my knuckles and looked at me with sad, promising eyes. "You have always been my queen, and you will continue to be until the very end."

"Nicki," I began, but he dropped my hands and shuffled off too quickly for me to follow.

"Business calls me elsewhere." he bid.

I had wanted to say _"I know I can trust you. I will reveal the full secrets to you after she can no longer harm you." _But he didn't give me the chance, and I think I knew that I could infer that we'd already silently agreed upon that.

I was accompanied by a young stable boy on my walk back to the palace. He questioned what he and his family should do to avoid the vampire's violence; I replied that he can not fight her but he could escape, if he wished. I told him if he had family in the other parts of Aldorra, he should stay with them, away from the capital city for awhile. It was the advice I'd given to all of the believers today.

I took time to admire the colorful, beautiful grounds the gardeners worked so hard upon in the warm spring weather before I entered into the walls where I knew doubters waited for me.

* * *

"Allison, you've always been like a daughter to me, soon you will actually be so. For these reasons I am concerned."

"Concerned?" I questioned, trying my best to mask the annoyance in my tone.

Everybody thought I was insane, and everybody who had approached me came with the same story "I'm concerned for your mental state. Have you been getting enough rest lately? Are you feeling okay? The comment you made today about fictional beings was quite shocking." Those were questions the palace-dwellers have asked, anyway. When I was riding in the streets, middle class and more common people were asking me things like "What should I do to protect myself from the vampire? Do crosses still affect them?" The contrast in questions led me to believe the superstitious public supported me but the much more influential aristocracy had more "_common sense"_ than to believe magical mumbo-jumbo.

"Yes, Allison. Concerned." Luis continued in the premature state of a rage. I was sitting in a chair in one of the studies, the father of my false fiance pacing around me with worry. His dark hair wasn't as neat as it should have been, his collar wasn't as perfect as it usually seemed. "Concerned that you are not listening to what you are saying before you say it! You are crowned as queen just as _you _wanted and _I've_ been supporting you towards, then you pull something like this?"

"_Pull_ something." I repeated in a somewhat mocking tone. "You obviously don't believe what I said."

"Name five people who do that have some sense inside these walls!" Luis shouted and waved his arms about to indicate the palace.

I drew in a long, slow breath. "I've said what I've needed too, and that's the truth. Whether you believe me or not, know that there is danger within our country's boundaries, noble Luis. Instead of trying to convince me that I'm insane, try to do something about the threat."

I rose and promptly left the room, leaving a somewhat defeated and annoyed father behind. I glanced at the ticking clocks on the walls outside of the room; I noticed it was time to meet the legislative. Luis had originally found me to tell me that a meeting was starting and I was needed, but it turned into a father-daughter like lecture.

The legislative was meeting on the third floor in a conference room. When I arrived, Prime Minister Davidson stood on the outside of the room while the others were within. "There are lots of doubters within the room, Queen Allison..." He whispered to me with a worried smile. I made a face in return, but I was pleased that he had told me he supported me. Believed me, maybe not. But support was all I needed, not believers. I wasn't calling for a religion.

"Thanks for the warning. I don't think Luis is even going to attend." I told him. We entered the room together.

The meeting started a little something like this: "It is completely preposterous to expect us to believe that a...a fictional creature is the culprit behind these murders and disappearances as you claim them to be! Forgive me your majesty, but I worry about the mental state of our queen if she were to freely express these statements to the public without any solid proof and expect the world to believe them."

"But that is just it, Chairmen Gerald." I started, my tone pleading, begging for their ears to listen. An unsettling stiffness came to the room as I rose, placing my palms flat on the table. "I do not expect the world to believe. Only those who are willing to help me."

"But the idea that vampires are behind all of this-" He interjected. I slammed my palm down and the rush of the blow traveled up my arm in small pin-like pains and silenced him.

"Hold your tongue and listen to me. Not as your queen, but as a woman who has been bred to shine the light over her people and lead them with hope into a new and better future." My tone was no longer soft and begging, asking for these people to believe me. They were _going_ to take my word for it. "Regardless of what the murderer is. A human, a vampire, a psychopath, a deranged yeti! It does not matter what they are, only that they lay a threat to my people, my very life. Your lives, too. Your wives, husbands, _children _are all at risk with her killing people in the public. She does not hide her victims. She makes them statements for everyone to see! I will not, _not_," I slammed my hand down again, "Have such violence come to my people; to _any_ people if I can help it! Who are you to deny them the protection they need right now because of the name I give the culprit? It is my and your responsibility alike that we should take appropriate action to shield our people from a psychopath. And by the _grace of God_, if that means driving a stake through her heart instead of shooting her down as we would a normal murderer, _so be it_."

A closed my eyes and let my breaths come very evenly again before opening them again; all eyes of my audience stared at me, all was silent. I opened my mouth to continue before the silence could infiltrate the room further, but the sound of a slow clap broke the room and grabbed my attention before I had the chance to speak.

"Spoken like a true queen!" bellowed a gruff baritone of a man with a very familiar face, a man that was one in the cabinet but left the legislative when my mother passed away.

"Chairm- I mean, Señor Mason! I'd heard you left the country for Spain after you left this cabinet."

"And you bring me back to this country, Queen Allison! And the title 'Chairman' is very fitting. I am once again in the cabinet, filling in for the resent _loss_ of man."

I could tell by his tone that he was happy to be back and replacing the scoundrel of a man Victor Coffin. The smile lines wrinkling around his eyes were shown as he grinned underneath the thick brown mustache laced with gray from his age.

"Welcome back." The room chanted in either Spanish or Catalan.

"Now, I hear there is danger in the country that needs attending to? Please, continue my queen." He bellowed again in his gruff voice. I was obligated to do as he said; his natural tone was very startling and made a person, more or less, jump into action.

I nodded my head as his old bones walked slowly to the only open seat, his cane in one hand, his other hand moving to take off the hat atop his thinning head. When he let out a comfortable sigh from lounging, I found my train of thought again.

"Right, if anyone else has an objection to doubling guard forces around main plazas, the cathedral and the palace..."

"Your Majesty."

I looked up to the man who doubted me in the first place. He promptly bowed his head in my direction. "I apologize. You are right about shielding the country from the danger. We will support you with the actions you deem necessary to take."

I nodded my head toward him to acknowledge him. I felt grateful as he swayed everyone else in the room who still doubted to also feel the same way.

"We must urge the people to remain indoors after dark."

"Agreed." Came several voices of the others. I folded my hands together and sighed smoothly as they all nodded their heads toward that gesture. Now that things were more controlled and organized with my legislative, I could concentrate on other subjects...

Like _exactly_ how Taylor wanted Lucas and I to take down Courtney once and for all.

* * *

After dinner, when the darkness was threatening to consume the pastel skies, Lucy flitted with the remote to my big screen television in my quarters. "Your announcement talking about _the vampire_ culprit is on every channel, Ally." she told me.

"Probably." I replied, glancing at the screen. There were all sorts of responses to my message, most people seemed to believe me and they debated on actions they should take, some others just preached about how crazy I was. What they thought hardly mattered right now, however. The legislative was on my side, now I only had to worry what the other vampires thought of this...exposure.

What was the "or else" that Taylor and Luke warned me of if I ever tried to expose vampires again? Really, I had only told the public there was _one_ vampire, and I didn't even tell them what gender she was or her name. Only that there was one and it was behind every horror. What was the big deal about that? It was for my people's protection, after all. Now that they knew what they were up against, they could have peace of mind and I know not to try and fight her off themselves. Taylor and Lucas and Julie's identities were a secret and always would be.

The old oak door to my royal chambers clobbered against the wall as it was opened with a great force. Both Lucy and I looked toward the doorway and it in we saw Taylor Halling, his arm against the door, his dark hair a mess, his pale face an emotion we couldn't quite pinpoint but knew it wasn't happiness.

Julie, the beautiful orange haired vampire stood behind him, then in front too quickly for our eyes to register. "Please, Mr. Halling, please be kind. Lady Allison meant no harm to our kind, only _her_..." she begged him. It was a tone I'd never heard within that vampiress.

"Stand aside, Julie. I don't want to lay a hand on you, but I shall if I must." he replied in a cold tone, but his eyes; his coal eyes looked into hers and they were full of the affectionate emotion his voice lacked.

She did as she was told and went over to Lucy. "Please, Lady Lucy, retire to your bed chambers. I promise Lady Allison will not be harmed." She assured Lucy, a pale hand on Lucy's warm wrist. Lucy shot me a worried look, but she had to obey Julie and she left the room for her own.

I quickly figured that I had stirred something _big_ in Taylor's world.

"Julie, make her sit." he demanded, his coal eyes stabbed into me. He knew I wouldn't have complied if he told me to sit, so he skipped straight to Julie forcing me to do so with her power of manipulation.

"We will wait for Lucas before I say anything, but you should know the seriousness of what you have done today. Have you no sense!" He looked so... distressed. He was pacing. Taylor Halling, actually pacing in discomfort and distress.

Speak of the devil, the vampire with the yellow hair and piercing ice blue eyes opened the window to the balcony and entered the room. He was a fresh color, fresh with blood, and he looked more pleased than he usually was when entering my room. The smile disappeared as soon as he saw me sitting rigidly in a seat as Taylor and Julie stood around me. He knew something was up right away.

"What is it?" he asked the three of us, his eyes now wide with wonder. He looked almost like a child, but the ignorance spilled over into worry as he realized _I_ was the cause of the stir in Taylor.

"Lucas. She is becoming intolerable. Control her!" I raised a brow at that statement from him.

Luke almost chuckled straight into his face for his response. "You think if I could, we wouldn't be having this dispute?"

I crossed my arms and smirked at Taylor.

"What is this about, anyway?" He asked. He looked at me and debated if he wanted to read my mind, but he decided against it from what had happened the night before, when we decided he wouldn't use his power on me without permission.

"Watch." Taylor told him. The remote had found his hand when I hadn't noticed and he rewound the TV to a part when a station was playing the recording of my announcement. _"A vampire is among us!" _My voice rang out.

All six gorgeous vampire eyes rested upon me. Lucas listened to the rest and then Taylor switched the television off, but Luke's eyes never left me. The emotion behind the eyes was pure hurt, disbelief and accusation.

I didn't understand the seriousness of what I'd done, but for Luke to look at me like he had alarmed me. "Luke, I swear, I meant no harm! I didn't mention anybody but one vampire, Courtney. And I didn't even say her name! You're all acting as if I posted names, pictures and locations to every vampire in the world!"

"You did, Allison! Any vampire who is living out in the world right now, managing to feed and stay alive because of the ignorance of the people, is now at risk! You just told the world what one vampire is capable of, meaning what every vampire is capable of! Human murderers can poke two holes into their victims' neck and blame the act on a vampire and get away with murder to their own! _Vampire hunters_ will arise from something like this, Allison. There's always one person who's stupid enough to think they're strong enough to take on vampires as a sport and they start killing and causing trouble for the entire race. Did you think about any of that when you spoke in front of that crowd as a queen, Allison?"

"Who would be stupid enough to try and take on a vampire on their own?" I questioned. The irony was that I once had, though not to kill. Taylor would remember that. "I told the public to flee, not fight."

"_Your_ public, Allison." Luke continued. "By the end of the week the entire world will have watched this broadcast. They will see a legitimate q_ueen_ claiming the existence of vampires. If you were a regular citizen that would be different, there would be less believers, it would be easier to cover and claim as false, but you are a monarch, a very influential public figure."

I stared up at him. There was probably a guilty expression on my face and nothing else. I couldn't quite tell if Luke was angry or worried.

"The Council has already ordered me to deliver the punishment." Taylor told Luke in the silence.

"What?! It's barely been twelve hours, how did they come to a decision and notify you in that time? What about the repeal time everyone is allowed to have?" A panic and fear that wasn't there before set into his voice.

"Blaine and Keane came in person to give me the verdict. I didn't ask about a repeal." Replied Taylor calmly.

A silence came over the room again.

"Julie, leave the room." Taylor commanded softly. His eyes locked with hers and I could see he was telling her something without words. I could freely move my limbs again as the vampiress did as she was told, and left. "Luke, Allison does not understand the seriousness of this."

"Regardless of if I understand or not, this argument does not settle the situation on hand." I stepped in. "Taylor says I'm supposed to be "punished" for this but he has not made a move to follow those orders from your council. Are you going to punish me now or are we going to continue planning the downfall of Courtney Vengeance?"

Taylor came toward me in a subtle rage, but Luke grabbed his shoulder and tossed him across the room very easily. "There's no need to harm anybody but Courtney here. Taylor, keep an eye on Allison. I'll go talk to The Grand Council myself." Luke had a certain panic underneath the coolness of his eyes, but overall he appeared very calm. What was Luke worried about?

"I just sent Julie to appear for you." Taylor replied, a little on the cold side.

"Even so, I will go and have more success than you will."

Taylor growled. Apparently the council listened to Luke more than Taylor? Luke _was_ older, but he didn't seem the rule-following type. Taylor, on the other hand, was made of kiss-ass. I didn't see the heaviness of the situation, the significance of what I'd done just did not sink in. I was thinking that I'd done the right thing, not that I'd broken the number one vampire rule.

"Lucas, talk with me in private before you leave."

Lucas nodded once to Taylor, then turned to me and embraced me. "I do not wish to leave you on this night, but you've left me so little choice." he whispered into my ear. I didn't understand what he said, and I was confounded as he released me and kissed my forehead. "I'll return shortly."

He turned away to go speak with Taylor in the other part of my chambers before I had the chance to ask any questions.

Taylor allowed Luke to enter into the smaller, private room, before he followed in and closed the door behind him. His mood felt cold toward me. I went and pressed myself against the door, daring not to enter, yet too curious to waste the opportunity to figure out what Luke and Taylor were so worried about. How consequential were my actions? What was my punishment supposed to be? Had I underestimated their warnings when they'd told me not to expose vampires? According to them, I had. Yet I did not understand just how.

"This is different from before." Taylor began, his voice very clean though it traveled through a closed door. "Before, she was just a regular citizen of the states and her attempts at exposure were small and could easily be removed or covered up, or mistaken for folklore and hoaxes. Now that she is in a position of higher authority with more influence, her exposures of vampires are taken more seriously by a larger crowd of people. The Grand Council is debating now if her death should be ruled immediately or if she can be used for the capture of Courtney, then, more than likely, killed after that."

I froze. Death? I was going to be killed for this? Had I known that before, had Taylor ever mentioned it and I'd forgotten? A panic similar to the one I heard in Luke's voice swept through me.

"I will not them let touch her." Luke replied coldly.

"You won't make a difference this time, Lucas. If they do rule her execution to be carried out immediately, anyone who gets in their way will be condemned as well."

Silence.

"Is it too late to fix things?" Luke asked. He sounded somewhat desperate.

"Even if you attended for a repeal, they would only prolong the inevitable for you."

"We could have her give another press conference telling everyone the entire thing was a hoax." Luke suggested.

"That would be an option plausible to success if we presented it to The Grand Council, but knowing Allison..."

"She would never lie to her people. That's why we're in this mess now."

"_We_? I am here for personal reasons only. I will not take a hit for you again, Lucas. This is between you, Allison, and The Grand Council."

There was a short pause on Lucas' part. "You are absolutely right. Taylor Halling. Stay here and _protect_ Allison. I will go present a pardon plea to the council. Maybe that will buy us more time, if nothing else..." Luke's voice was rushed and distressed, like Taylor's, though more bleak with hope.

"If I may make a suggestion... There is one way you and she might be able to avoid this entire mess." Taylor offered.

"No. No!" Luke repeated sternly. "I couldn't possibly ask _that_ of her..."

"If she became a vampire, it would be like a free pass. All crimes are erased when a mortal is brought over. A law passed in the High Middle Ages, declared so that the mortals who discovered us and were sentenced to death could have a fresh start in immortality if they so chose."

Silence. I could imagine the stone look on Luke's face in response to Taylor's suggestion; his square jaw was probably locked together in deep thought.

"_That_ will be the last resort, Halling; and _only_ if she chooses _that_ instead of death when all other options are gone! For now, watch her." He told Taylor sternly after a longer moment.

I backed away from the door when I heard footsteps coming toward it. I erased all panic from my face as Luke opened the door and appeared before me. There was a desperate, loving look in his eyes overcome with fear. Fear that he may never see me again because of my own actions.

I rushed forward and wrapped my arms around him. "Oh God, Luke, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You were only being the woman I love, making decisions you thought were just. I wouldn't have you any other way." His arms also wrapped around me, comforting the inevitable death Taylor had mentioned for me. "I will return soon. I won't let anybody hurt you..." He promised in a whisper. A kiss found my lips, my forehead, and then Luke pulled away before he knew he wouldn't be able to.

Taylor watched in an inquiring enmity. Luke disappeared the way he came in.

I turned to Taylor, wiping away a small tear that had formed in the corner of my right eye. "Is there nothing that you can do?" I asked him.

"There is nothing I can do about their final decision. Once The Grand Council gives a verdict, that is the final word." He explained rather calmly, barely a hint of remorse in his voice.

The lack of emotion was expected, but it still displeased me nonetheless. I gathered up my strength and pulled myself together in front of him.

"I mean this in every respect when I say it, Taylor." I paused and waited for his interest in my introduction. He tilted his head just a bit so a single black hair shifted, and I continued. "You know very well that when you said you "couldn't do anything" about my situation, that it was a complete load of bullshit." My tone was sharp and did not falter. "I'm not one to judge, but you seem like the kind of guy who has a few more inches of manhood tucked underneath the fancy slacks that wouldn't allow yourself to be the total lap dog, in a more modern term, submittal little _bitch_ to the one force that stands in your way to destroying Courtney for good. You understand perfectly well that their interference will result in my death and ultimately, your failure to kill the one you so long sought to kill."

His white face was stern, but no real emotion was carved into the mask except for his eyes that were just a bit wide with the surprise and lit with mild rage. I automatically flinched when he quickly came closer and raised his hand to strike me. "How _dare_ you..."

But the blow didn't come. I had known it wouldn't, therefore there was a small smirk on my face when I opened my eyes again and soaked in his priceless expression. His white mask cracked, with anguish and defeat knowing someone else was right for a change.

"Fine. If you want it that way." His hand lowered, his pleasant mask mending. "Luke won't like this, but you're right about the Council's involvement and I have to go after him before he makes matters worse for everyone."

"Palace guards have a use, too. I'll be fine." I replied, swindling my body as he walked around to the exit Luke had just taken. "Fix this, because I _know_ you can." I added.

He didn't look back to acknowledge what I'd said. He disappeared into the night and I was left alone.

Mistake number one, I turned my back to the balcony window. I relished in my ability to manipulate even _Halling_, now. I was smug about this for several moments.

I was not paying attention when a figure entered through that window, knocked over a small table in their rush, and came toward me with impossible speed.

Reaction time was zero when compared to a vampires quick movement. A vampire it must be, I deducted in the zero time I had, because cold hands apprehended my body, and the world jerked violently into darkness when a heavy blow was delivered to the back of my head.

_**A/N:** I'm evil, I know! In the meantime of waiting to see if Allison lives or dies, check out this awesome guy I'm BETA reading for: David Fishwich's __"Losing Innocence." Remember to review please! Thanks!_


	29. Chapter XXVII

**Note:** So, the title of the chapter sort of gives away the events of the chapter. Why bother reading? Well, hopefully this /finally/ gives you a good insight of how twisted and demented Courtney is.

Through this first draft of Vengeance, Courtney's intentions, to me, seem unclear and just erratic. Like, unbelievable for the story. I think that when I revise, it'll make much more sense when I integrate my original plans for her character that were lost during the composition of this story. Let me know what you think of her character in this chapter please.

**Chapter 27 – Torture**

.x. Allison

The air around me was heavy and moist. A foul underground stench of water, earth and death filled my nostrils with every intake of air. I figured that I was somewhere below ground, but where for sure I could only speculate.

But, I knew whom I was with. I was absolutely sure of who had kidnapped me, or was responsible for kidnapping me.

My consciousness returned to me the more I registered what was going on around me. I was in the darkness of unconsciousness, but slow and surely, I was recovering. My head pulsed where I was hit, but there was no pain, how odd; perhaps I'd been drugged. It was hard to be sure of anything... I felt something constrict my breathing, it sounded and felt like the strings of a corset of some sort being tied around my middle. Something else prevented my arms from moving. I opened my eyes instantly as I felt a pair of _hands_ grasping my arms, and another set traveling down my sides. The first thing my vision focused on was a lamp in the far corner of the room I was in; there were no exits save for one closed, rotted door. The damp stone floor and earth walls reminded me of a dungeon cell, I certainly felt like a prisoner trapped in the darkness.

I fidgeted as the hands now came down to my hips, the other pair was still holding my body perpendicular by my arms. I turned my neck as my eyes adjusted more and more to the little light in the room; I saw that there was a _man_ binding my arms and holding me up at the same time. The other set of hands that were roaming my body belonged to a woman with her back bent in labor. She was dressing me, apparently; her hands were fixing ruffles on the skirt of a fantastic dress to be nice and even. The woman's movements seemed very precise and unnatural, and the man who held me had an impossible strength. Vampires? Yes, these two must be a couple of Courtney's minions, I concluded. Wait, I was in a nice and fancy dress? I had not been wearing that when I was kidnapped, that meant...

Oh god. These people had stripped and dressed me. These vampires were dressing me up and making me pretty! For what?

Funnily enough, this was not the first time a vampire's minions had dressed me nicely. Was I some sort of doll, or puppet, that vampires of all sorts wanted to dress me up? No, I thought. Why on earth, or in hell for that matter, would Courtney want me to look nice? I was honestly puzzled.

"Where am I? What are you preparing me for?" I asked them both in Catalan. There was no response of any sort from either of them. In fact, they did not even acknowledge I had said anything. They both were zoned into their own little world, doing their job.

I tried something else to get their attention; I kicked to the right of the woman and messed up a bit of the ruffles in the dress she had just perfected, then I tried to struggle in the man's arms and get free of him. His grip tightened so tightly, I thought my arms were going to break under his strength! I cried out and went very still. The woman paused as this went on, then when I had been defeated, she lifelessly went back to work. There was no eye contact, no expression on their faces. I feared that perhaps they were incapable of expression, that they were lifeless after being changed into vampires by Courtney.

I wasn't sure if I should have felt scared. I think I was too puzzled to let the fear of my situation sink in completely. I wondered things like "How long had I been out? What am I being dressed for? Where is Courtney at and what does she have planned for me?"

Finally, the female vampire who was attending my dress had finished and she stood straight. The male released my arms and I stood on my own two feet; I nearly tripped over myself in sheer shock. My first thought was to run, of course, but the male vampire had strategically placed himself between the only door and I. He seemed to growl as I glanced from him to the door over his shoulder, though I don't think he made any sound at all. The male minion wore worn, tatty clothing that suggested he hadn't cleaned up in weeks, he smelled and looked that way as well. His skin, by the light that I saw, was not very pale. At least, not as pale as I'd seen Taylor and Luke's. His skin color was that of mine, actually. A very tan color, deceiving the fact he was a vampire at all.

_Must be because he's young as a vampire,_ I thought. I recalled Luke telling me that Courtney's blood wasn't very strong. Perhaps because she changed people into vampires as often as she did, they turned into mindless creatures that were probably easier to control. Not actual _'human-like'_ beings. I wondered how many little pawns she had running around underground, where ever we were. Anyway, I figured that if these two vampires we fresh into darkness, then they were probably once my people. I silently pitied each of them, no matter what they had done or were going to do.

The laboring female vampire had similar appearances to the male, untidy, unclean. She set a tall, bronze outlined mirror before me and held it into place so that I could see what they had done to me.

I stared upon my self in the mirror under the light I was allowed. The reflection was not the same as the day before, and I couldn't say that I wasn't pleased. My face was pale with powder or fear, I didn't know, my eyes were the same deep, sapphire blue they always had been. But my hair, my hair wasn't the same golden color with whispers of red. It was curly and long and nicely pinned up, but the color was a white blonde; a honeysuckle blonde.

I gasped as I stared at the reflection of myself and saw Courtney. So now she truly was my mirror image. As soon as I'd realized this, I was moved from the mirror and forced to kneel on the cold ground by the male vampire. Cold shackles locked around both of my wrists, their old heaviness already began to cut into my skin. My eyes stared at the heels of a woman a moment later; I followed along her dress design, identical to the dress I wore, until I saw her face. I again, saw my reflection.

"Courtney Vengeance." I whispered bitterly.

"So full of hatred, my child." She replied. Her tone was soft and sweet; but she wasn't kind. Behind her sweet face was a kiss of poison and a mind of evil. Her deep blue eyes narrowed as she stared upon me.

"Rise." She commanded easily. The vampires who had dressed me yanked me up by my arms. I was forced to simply stand before the menace since the shackles around my wrists wouldn't allow me to reach her flesh. I had a brief vision of myself clawing her gorgeous blue eyes out of her head. The chain length of the metal bindings allowed me to barely stand, I was pinned to the floor. I glanced around into the eyes of the three vampires around me and I felt very much like the prey. I bit back my fear and let my hatred seep through.

I stood in suspense as all three vampires stared at me. Only Courtney of the three, however, had the vitality to examine me. Her eyes slid over me like water slides over skin. They tantalized, chilled and soaked over my entire form until her sights were satisfied. All the while all I could hear was my heart beating in my ears.

"A wonderful job in retrieving her," Courtney began in a spoiled him. She praised her little pawns as if I were her property. The male bowed his head to her, she acknowledged him and he stood straight and lifeless again. "And an adequate job in her design." She added to the female minion with a little less praiseworthy. The female also bowed.

"Thank you your majesty." They replied in unison. _Majesty,_ I thought. She had brainwashed her pawns into thinking she was their queen! They obeyed her on a whim, without any thought._ My_ people, _her_ subjects? She certainly had an effect over them. She with all her spoiled, corrupted, beastly attributes.

Courtney moved, a very simply movement; she raised her hand to my cheek. I jerked back, but had no room to go anywhere but to the floor. And there was no way in hell I'd fall to my knees for her of my own will. I was forced to let her cold, disgusting fingertips touch the bottom of my chin, slide down to the base of my neck, follow my collarbones around to my shoulders and then, her hands slid through my hair.

I-, no,_ my body_ absolutely loved it when someone gently ran their fingers through its hair. It sent a shiver down my spine and my head fell back in a quick ecstasy. My creamy neck was exposed to the demoness by one simple gesture and I cursed my physical body for that reaction to _her_.

"I used to love it when Lucas did that to me, also." She told me bitter-sweetly in my ear. My eyes widened in flared anger, but they closed in complete surprise a moment later.

I heard the flesh rip open before I felt anything at all; Courtney had dug her sharp, long fangs into the right side of my neck.

I couldn't suppress a moan. I tried to very hard, but the feel of warm blood flowing from my body and cold lips smoothly caressing the skin and that devilish tongue lapping up every drop... I couldn't help the sultry vibrations that came through my mouth from deep within my chest. It was so much like Luke, so much like the time I gave myself to him... I fully moaned when thinking of this.

No, she was a monster, she was a killer, she was a murderer, no, no, no, no!

A groan this time. I wanted to resist, my body wouldn't comply. I was panting from all of the labor of trying to reject her actions. After her cool lips removed from the wound, the sharp pain my senses delayed made me wince. I was still panting.

"Why deny your body the pleasures it deserves, my child?" Courtney cooed. Her delicate tongue cleaned her lips clean of my red blood. "I'll have to ask Luke who tasted better, I or you, when I present myself to him after your death." I pulsed with anger as she spoke. She had total power and control to anything she so pleased right now. Her smooth, small hand slid down the side of my cheek and she lifted my head up by placing a finger under my chin. "I haven't seen what I look like in over two-hundred and fifty years, Allison. Do you know how difficult that is for me?" Her question was rhetorical and she looked upward. "All I care about is what I look like, is it so hard to ask to simply gaze upon myself as I did when I was mortal?" She was speaking to the heavens now, begging them an explanation. "I've never received an answer to my prayers from any god." She shot back to me, cold distaste in her eyes. "But perhaps they have heard me after all... they've sent me you, and you are supposed to look almost exactly as I am... if that's the case then I can see why Luke took such a liking in you." I growled as she said this. She was treading on dangerous grounds...

"But you know, Luke has class, as I'm sure you've seen. He's never taken anybody who was filthy; he likes his women pure in body and blood, a little more up the aristocratic side of the ladder, not some sort of harlot off the streets. So lets test the love and loyalty of dear Lucas, shall we?"

The very vampires who had dressed me came forward. I was confused for a moment, but after the closest vampire took a hold of the corset and ripped it from my body, the motives were very clear. A ravenous look was in the pit of their eyes; they were practically drooling as their fangs pointed out from their open, hissing mouths.

I felt the shackles cut into my wrists as every bit of fine cloth was ripped from me, leaving me exposed; I shouted many colorful things in several different languages, hoping with some little bit of belief that they would stop if I was hateful enough. I couldn't move from my bindings, though. I wanted this to stop, I wanted out! If I could not save myself then I wanted to be rescued, by anyone! Courtney's orders to her minions overpowered anything I wanted, however.

"Do not kill her. If you do, your life will be next." she warned coldly, narrowing her eyes at the two vampires. So she didn't want me to die like this, violated in every sense? Of course; this devil would have more plans of torture before she would finally end my life. Why did I ever think death would come easily here? The two paused, nodded their heads toward her, and then turned back to me with the hunger that only a vampire had.

A hunger for blood, a hunger to take the life that a mere mortal such as I held. Didn't their mother ever teach them not to play with their food?

I could only tremble and whimper as they closed in, ready to ravish the blood underneath the skin. I bit back a scream as they did just that. Each bite was foreshadowed by a hideous hissing, each bite had it's own searing pain; their mouths were nothing like Luke's or Courtney's, so gentle, so erotic. They bore indignant pain and nothing more. Their wounds they created burned and pulsed with my blood; too soon for me to realize what was happening to me, I blacked out.

The last noise I could distinguish from my own screams and hollow breaths was Courtney's metallic, yet musical laughter. Watching me in such agony truly pleasured her, I knew.

* * *

I wasn't quite sure when my consciousness returned. I think that I'd awoken awhile ago, but I was too busy denying the horrible reality of the world to notice. My body shivered, and not from the cold. I was remembering how I had gotten where I was, why I smelled blood in the air. My blood.

The air was still thick, and I was probably in the same room where I had first awoken within, but I couldn't prove that for sure because there was no light this time. There was only me and the darkness. The bleak, unknown, dismal darkness. I coughed; an entire series of different pains ran through my body by the sudden movement.

I was pinned crucifixion-style against the wall. What was left of the dress from before was all I had to cover me. I was like this for a very long while.

After awhile, I couldn't even tell what was injured at that point. My entire body felt heavy, then warm and cold, numb and pained in different areas. My neck was stiff from hanging my head for so long, and my arms were numb since they were raised higher than the rest of my body, perpendicular to my length. I tried moving my fingers every few hours, but even that became a fruitless task. I lost track of time, I tried going to sleep to make the time go by faster in my unconsciousness. But when I did manage to close my restless eyes, it was only a short nap where I had dreams about exactly what I saw when I opened my eyes, so I couldn't tell half the time if I were asleep or awake.

The time spent like this wasn't long but it felt like forever. Regular bodily functions like excretion and fatigue didn't bother me too much, so I guess I was only chained to the wall like that for a day, thirty-six hours at the most. At the end of that time frame, someone had entered the damp cell I was imprisoned inside. Their entrance was alerted by the loud creak of the moving hinges on the door.

It wasn't Courtney.

The silhouette of the person that I could make out from the light in the corridor outside of the room suggested the figure was male. Another male entered behind him, this one with a lit torch that hissed into my eyes; I had to close them for a moment before I could adjust. Pale skin almost shimmered in the fire's light underneath the rags that clothed their bodies; short dark hair flew madly from their skulls and it looked dirty and unkempt. Like cold marble his hands felt as the one without the fire undid the binds and my exhausted body collapsed into the stone build of the first man. These two vampires were older than the two who had violated me before, these two were probably not from my country.

The feeling of his skin reminded me of Luke, but at the same time did not. His hands were smaller, his strength was not as controlled as Lucas' and he couldn't decide where to clasp his hands on my body to contain me. His build was not comfortable to be forced against as he shuffled me away, out of the room and down the corridor. His steps were not measured and perfect like an elder vampire's would be; I could tell just by the way they walked that they were fairly new vampires, but human or not they lacked the quality of free will in their eyes. These two were Courtney's dogs, I could tell that.

I might have asked them where they were taking me, but even if I voiced the question they did not answer. I feared perhaps they were not capable of speech.

The corridor was long and dank and the air was so thick to a point it hurt to breath. They led me to another cell, I soon saw. This one was large, with only one exit, the one that would be locked after I was put inside; and in the very far corner of the room there was a small child. He was shivering, shaking, absolutely terrified. I found myself walking willingly closer to him and the two minions shut me inside the new cell.

This boy hugged his legs in the corner, and when he looked up at me, he gasped and buried his head into his sleeves. I said something to him in a soft tone, the softest and gentlest I could make my voice. I knelled next to him but hesitated to touch him until he realized I wasn't a threat. I told him I wasn't going to hurt him, that I was trapped here by the monsters too.

"She took me from my mommy." the boy replied in Catalan and tears welled in his eyes. I tried to quiet him and drew his form into my bosom. He sobbed for a few minutes and clung to me; he couldn't have been more than four years old... He wiped his tears on what was left of the dress, but I didn't mind.

"I'm scared." he told me. "And tired." He was shaking and his tone was heartbreaking.

"You can use my lap as a pillow and I'll watch over you as you rest." I replied as soothingly as I could make my voice. He sniffed and nodded and rest his head on my legs. The poor thing was still shaking uncontrollably and the only way I could calm him was to rub his back until his shaking stopped and even breaths calmed his pounding chest.

I watched this child and the door for a very long time. I recalled what Luke had said, about how cruel Courtney was and how she didn't care for those of the living. What was she trying to accomplish by bringing an innocent and defenseless child here?

I sat still in the room with this child for a long while, again. I thought over everything in the silence; what I was leaving behind, who would miss me, what they would do without me, what I wished I could have done with my future if I had one beyond this point... Death was natural, was it not? Death's clammy hands claimed every mortal soul, one way or another. I told myself this, but what I _did_ know was that I did not want to die this way. I did not want to die in the hands of a monster, the woman I hated like I'd hated no other.

But there was another soul with me now other than just my own. I felt the child's slow breathing and took a deep breath of the stale dungeon air as my thoughts shifted.

What I also knew was that if I was destined to not make it out of here alive, I didn't want this child's life to end before it was time. He was so young, with lesser years than I had on my hands right now. If one of the two of us _had_ to die, I would rather it'd be me than this child. It didn't matter that I held a more valued position in society than he, it didn't matter he was simply a common child and I the queen; if _he_ died, it wouldn't be as big of a deal than if _my_ life was taken, but _that_ didn't matter either. My fingers softly stroked the boy's back in comfort and he shifted his head on my legs. The smallest sound escaped him and I knew he felt safe in his dreaming. Perhaps it was my strong desire to protect my people, or maybe it was a woman's duty to be a mother and protect any and every child.

I thought of Lucy and the baby that was forming within her womb. What if she had been in my place right now? Assuming she was safe, back at the palace. If Lucy was here, suffering as I was suffering and death took her as I figured it would me, I wasn't sure if I would ever forgive myself. If that had been the case, it would have been two friends I let the she-demon take from me, _and_ their innocent child.

I silently vowed in the darkness I would protect this innocents life with my own.

I managed to nod off while holding the little boy, but I jumped awake as soon as I heard the violent creaking of the door opening after being unlocked. The same two vampires from before quickly entered, one with a torch in his hand. The little boy had awoken as well and panicked as the freer one grabbed the two of us and yanked us up and out of the cell. I gripped the small child and he clung to me as well as we walked. In these fearful and desperate times, each other was all we had.

The two vampires pushed and shoved us down another very long corridor. I began to realize as we went exactly where we were underground. These passages and tunnels were the old escape routes out of the palace back when it was a castle. If the royal family was ever attacked, there was a clear passage underground that led to the safety of the mountains. Back in WWII, however, several prisoner cells were added when the underground passages were turned into a location for military interrogation and enemy-keeping. I'd never been in these tunnels before because they had long been abandoned since then because they were considered unstable and useless. The tunnels were a perfect place for Courtney to hide, however. It was probably how she was able to get unto the palace grounds and so close to me in the palace walls without being detected earlier.

Our group reached its destination as the boy and I entered into a room with a taller ceiling than all of the others. Lamps were placed so that the entire room was lit. Even though it had stone floors and earth walls that smelled of death, paintings were set on the walls, carpets set over the stone, a few decorative sofas and tables were placed over the carpet here and there. The room looked like a nice, underground bedroom for royalty, and on the other side of the room lounging carelessly and extravagantly on one of the couches was my mirror image. Her deep blue eyes that told her true character of evil were hidden behind the gorgeous honeysuckle curls as she looked down at the female vampire I'd seen before. The underling was bent over, gracing Courtney with a foot massage.

"That's enough." Courtney commanded. Her blue eyes narrowed with cruelty and ungratefulness until the woman bowed and retreated to another part of the room to tend to something else. The _royal_ vampiress stood, acting as queen of her own domain. There was a lovely jaguar fur draped over her smooth shoulders that drug on the floor as she walked closer to the child and I. I felt the child step closer and cling to my leg. I tightened my grip on him, but not enough to harm him, just enough to give him a sense of security.

I expected her to say something. Perhaps explain why her minions had brought the boy and I here.

She simply stared upon me, without expression. She looked over the boy, and how I was protecting him physically. Then, she smirked with a despicable glint in her eye and snapped her fingers. The two minion vampires behind me grabbed both me and the boy and then attempted to pull us apart.

"No!"

I instantly understood why Courtney had taken the child and given me the same cell as he. She wanted me to take pity on him, to become attached to the boy to a point that I would feel a deep remorse and strong hurt when she killed him right before me! I held unto the boy and fought off the vampires as best as I could, but it was useless. I was powerless to stop their fingers from peeling my grasp off of the child and keep them from giving his shaking, fearful form to Courtney. I was shouting, he was crying; Courtney laughing. The two vampires who had taken the boy from me held me by the arms and all I could do was watch his execution.

Her beautiful but wicked smile turned to a vicious snarl as she opened her mouth and pointed her fangs right over the boy's neck. Mercilessly she ripped into him, taking no pity on him as I did, not giving him a chance to live as I wanted to. The child's cries turned to a gargling choking as I knew blood had began to fill him from the inside as well as being drawn by the vampiress. Soon his delicate body had gone limp and he made no noise whatsoever.

"NO!" I screamed, over and over again. I shouted many things. "I'll kill you, I'll destroy you!" and maybe "You monster, demon with no soul!" Many incoherent things that were not with my usual speech and beliefs. My voice began to break and go hoarse and then I began to cry. I was so weak, so useless to that helpless little boy. My strength could not overcome the two who held my arms, but I fought to a point I felt as if my limbs would rip from their sockets. The child had paled to death, by that time. I hung my head in defeat and the two minions released me and I sunk to the ground and buried my head into my arms and sulked for several minutes.

"The _q__ueen_ should have a little more dignity." I heard Courtney say.

My tears stopped then, and I raised my head and lifted my body from the ground. I still had strength enough to do that much. I glanced at the body of that innocent boy, whom Courtney had discarded on the ground, and I felt a sadness in my heart that was stabbed with a hot iron of hate for Courtney. Fire was in my eyes as I glared upon her.

"Let me bury the child." I told her in a quiet, but harsh tone. I couldn't let the innocents corpse rot here with her. I had to give him a proper burial, if it was the last thing I would do. I knew we were underneath the cemetery; the reason no one had discovered Courtney and her minions in these old and forgotten underground rooms.

"After dinner time." She replied venomously. She snapped both of her fingers and narrowed her eyes to something behind me. I turned around to meet both of her minion's fangs, and before I had a second to scream, those fangs pierced each side of my neck with an unmistakable fervor that was blood lust. I brought my arms up to fight but they each grabbed a limb and forced me to the ground. Stop, I thought, I pleaded, I screamed it as loud as I could. They stole the blood and when I thought they had finished, they simply jabbed their fangs into another part of my flesh. It was not the orgasmic feeling Luke was able to produce when I offered myself to him; this was pain and obliteration and nothing more.

This went on until I felt I was falling into a deep sleep I couldn't fight to stay awake from, even as I felt the pain. "Stop." I heard the vampiress say. On her command the lips of the two vampires had removed and I had fallen motionless on the ground, the only sign of life still in me was my chest, heaving up and down and my pounding heart, causing blood to drizzle from the fresh wounds.

"I have to feed my pets, you understand." she told me with a certain smug, vileness. "When she's able to stand again, let her take the child's body to the cemetery, to the hole I had you dig for her. Then next to it, dig a new one and when she's finished with her task, bury her in the coffin you retrieved, very much alive." Courtney ordered them.

"Yes your majesty." They said in unison and bent their bodies to a bow.

To be buried alive... That was a terrifying experience I could only have nightmares about and still not know the horror. My thoughts swirled over what had happened and what would happen...

.x. Lucas

The night was cold, wet, dreary. How improbable, because the chances of it ever storming this hard in a country surrounded by a natural barrier such as mountains, and _of course_ on the one night when a clear sky with a bright moon would do nothing but aid me. The weather turned the rocky terrain of this slope into mud under my feet, no matter how quick they were moving over the earth. The water poured merciless and restlessly, the wind howled like a thousand wolves and seemed to always flow against me, but not even the biggest storm would stop me in my search for her tonight.

I looked behind every door in the city, within the deepest parts of the woods, and inside every crevice cut into the mountain-side near the site of the kidnapping.

Courtney, or even Courtney's minions, couldn't have gotten far. I had only been gone a little while, after all, an hour tops... Halling was supposed to be watching her, _Halling_ let this happen!

I had looked everywhere. Literally everywhere, twice. And since it was raining, I couldn't pick up a blasted scent to give me a lead, a hint...anything! I had nothing else to do to vent this frustration, this uselessness; I guess a good ass-kicking on Halling's part would satisfy the need to vent before I did something rash like burn the entire city to cinders to draw Courtney out. Wait, where was Halling? Surely he had to be doing something in aiding the search for Allison; this was his fault, after all. I would never forgive him if anything were to happen to her, if I were too late...

No! Don't think like that, I snapped at myself. Halling, wherever he was; maybe he had a lead or a hint to where Courtney might be holding Allison hostage...

I traveled down the mountainside, on the east side of the castle, to the little cottage where Halling instructed Julie to stay in order not to draw suspicions to herself. If she were there, she would know where he was.

When I arrived, I found candlelight in the window. _Somebody_ was home.

Anger overwhelmed me, beyond fury and hate, when I opened the door to the cottage and saw Taylor giving Julie a sweet kiss to the neck. Not because of their romance, but because of his lack of concern for the situation _he_ caused. _He_ was supposed to be helping me look for Allison. _He_ was the one who failed in his duty and allowed her to be kidnapped in the first place! Yet, _he_ was here, sucking neck with his mate. Words could not express the rage I wanted to release on him now.

Julie's emerald eyes found my form just in the knick of time; she moved out of my way just an instant before I was going to grab her and throw her across the room. This left all of my_ attention_ for Taylor.

"HOW DARE YOU LEAVE HER ALONE." I shouted. My clenched fist found his side. The force I exerted slammed him against the desk to his left and his head hit the corner. Blood spilled from his temple. Julie gasped in the background; I let out a warning growl when she dared to move an inch.

"No, go now!" Taylor commanded her, throwing his arm toward the door while he staggered to get up again. This time the coal eyes were ready and full of a mocking fire. This was a man's fight, from duty versus personal achievements.

I heard Julie do as she was told and the door I had nearly knocked down on my way in was closed behind her.

I bared my teeth and watched Halling's thick, black eyes stare into me. The immortal blood leaking from his temple highlighted my eyes to burgundy; I stared him down until he took a step back. Halling knew I was stronger than him, he _knew_ what I was capable of doing to him. The only reason for him to be so calm and not fleeing with his life right now was because Allison _was_ _still alive_...

Or that was just my mind over-thinking the situation. Her blood could be raining from the sky somewhere and I wouldn't have known it because only water filled my nostrils when I inhaled.

"You know what Courtney is capable of, you knew Allison would have been taken!" I snapped. My blood was boiling with fire, my fingers were ready to tear him apart. How dare he, how _dare_ he... "You left her on her own on purpose, didn't you?! DIDN'T YOU!"

No response. He cracked his neck and the bleeding from his head stopped; healed. His nonchalant attitude infuriated me further! It made me want to make him bleed even more. Without taking eyes from each other, I darted forward. He attempted to maneuver under my left side; I brought my foot up into his gut, grabbed his overcoat and flung his body against the fireplace. Burning bright with logs and hissing with live cinders, his white body made them explode when he met them. I relished in his cry as the flames licked his hands and cheeks, embracing him as a lover would. But the flames were a poison to vampires, almost equal to the pain given by the suns rays. I found sick satisfaction in watching him jump around, strip off his coat and beat himself with it in an attempt to douse the fire sticking to his skin like bees to honey. I waited until he succeeded and the burn marks were mostly gone before I continued my beating.

"Was this part of whatever sick plan you have for her and I? Did you leave her unprotected on purpose so that Courtney V would take her, kill her, and then I would channel this anger into her destruction, like you've wanted me to do since the first moment you knew I was linked to her? Is that what your sick mind has been concocting all this time!"

He was not silent this time. The dark haired vampire stood straight and met my burning gaze. "I will not lie; that is a variation I saw possible." If he had nothing else to say, I would have ripped him apart then and there. "Such strong emotion being driven into this conversation only proves me right."

As soon as he said this, he moved out of my range. He knew that would have snapped a vessel in me; I wanted to tear his mocking tone from his throat! He appeared behind me, but I had anticipated his action and spun on heel and reached directly behind me. My finger tips found his neck and I squeezed that place so he would not move again. I took pleasure in seeing his face ready to contort with the pain I could give him.

"But no," he continued in a strained breath, "getting Allison killed was not part of the plan in the beginning... Allison is a rather pleasant and strong, even beautiful soul and I would regret being the indirect cause of her death." His words faded for a moment as he traveled into thought. He quickly snapped back unto the subject as I shifted my claws into his skin. "But if Courtney's destruction is the end result, so be it. You're the type who would avenge a lost lover, are you not?" He cocked a dark brow.

"I am." I snarled at him, my claws on my other hand giving into his chest now, over his heart. It almost delighted me to see his face twist in discomfort, my claws dug deeper and he writhed in pain against my grip. I contemplated ripping open his rib cage and claiming the cold, un-beating prize that rested within. I frowned and decided against it.

I released his chest and delivered a sharp punch to his left cheek. I heard the crack of the bone and he fell to the floor more than easily with the amount of force I put into that. I loomed over him darkly for several seconds; until his cheek bones healed with a few cricks, and he stumbled to stand and face me again. A sick grin was on his face which exposed his smaller white fangs; black hair messily hung over his eyes as he held his chin and clutched the desk beside him for balance.

"How about instead of beating me to a pulp, you go and look for her again!" he shouted. The black eyes flared with a formidable amount of competition now.

I was about to throw one more, anger-adrenaline-guilty fueled punch at his pompous white face when lightening struck outside and lit up a movement on the other side of the room. For just a moment my eyes flickered up to the distraction; the door had opened, and in the arms of Julie was a mud-coated, bleeding, drained, wet, exhausted, bruised, _crying_ and _broken_ woman.

_Allison._

I abandoned my scrap with Halling and took Allison from the vampiress' arms before another droplet of rain could hit the ground outside. Her delicate heart was beating, _thank God_, but it was weak. A small sigh coated with discomfort and pain fell from her parted lips as I cradled her body close to mine. A tear ran down her cheek and cleared away the grime that had collected there. Wounds were on her arms, legs,_ bare chest_, neck...

I darted away into the storm, toward the city, before the anger and remorse had time to soak in and I did something very, very rash. Something that Taylor and the Grand Council would kill me for; like destroy the entire kingdom in search of Courtney, expose myself in the process.

But right now, I needed to get Allison to the hospital. My number one priority was getting her into the hands of someone who would save her and give her a chance to recover... get her away from me since the blood was so enticing- no! Think of her, _only_ her well being!

.x. Allison

Thunder crashed somewhere in the distance; Luke was moving so fast through the rain, I cradled in his arms, that I didn't feel the cold rain hitting my skin. How ever did I manage to escape? I recalled Courtney's minions taking me to the graveyard to allow me to bury the child and then bury me alive; after I had buried the child, I used the shovel to hit one of them, then ran when the attempt to knock out the vampire failed and I screamed bloody murder. I remembered a woman with orange hair showing up in just the right moment to rescue me. I realized the woman was Julie, and she had arrived to save me right after the minions had caught up with me, beaten me into ground and had began to tear into my flesh... Recalling the event was horrific enough to bring me to tears.

I was safe now, I knew. I knew the touch that was around me. I knew the security I felt in this touch. Everything was going to be okay, I knew, because of this touch alone. I wanted to look up to my protector, at his beautiful face, but the sting of the cold in my eyes prevented me from doing this.

I knew when he was with anyone else, he was the most terrifying kind of hunter imaginable. But when he was with me; when he locked his eyes with mine and he touched his cold finger tips to my warm skin, he was...

Just thinking about the word I wanted to use made me want to swell up and cry. _Human._

I realized, finally, after all we had been through and faced; I realized that I truly loved a vampire. I loved him so much I wanted to die; and quite frankly, that's what it would take for us to be together.

"_Is it okay if I want to give you the world on a golden plate?"_

"_I've always wanted you. It was hard not to just take you in the first moment I realized who you really were."_

"_I wanted her as a companion and I knew I couldn't have her if she were human."_

He paused when my body racked with tears. The rain seemed to fall harder as I choked back uneven sobs.

"Don't cry, please, we're almost to the hospital." He begged of me, before resuming the impossible vampire speed again.

"No, it's not that..." I choked out, tasting salty tears and rain water with the dirt on my face mixed with blood. "Luke, I-"

"Don't you _dare_ start saying your goodbyes, Allison." He shot at me inspirationally. "You can tell me after you've been cleaned up and you've recovered." He added more tenderly. I sobbed when the words I wanted to say were taken back into my lungs as I choked on tears and blood. "Please, hold on for me."

Entering the hospital and being rushed away into immediate care was all a blur of white lights and urgent voices. I don't believe Luke ever left my side within that blur.


	30. Chapter XXVIII

**Note:** **In dedication to every loyal reader, reviewer, critiquer, I want to thank /you/ for making this piece of writing possible**. Without you, I honestly don't think I could have ever finished it. And guess what? I am _going_ to actually finish something this big for the first time! I have trouble reading a novel all the way to the end, much less writing them.

We have two more chapters left. Not including this one, two. I can't believe it's been an entire year since I've started this thing. An entire year, thirty chapters, 200+ reviews later. Holy fucking shit, guys! This is really... really... dignifying. Enough of my mush. Celebrate the third to last chapter of Vengeance is Written in Blood. The last chapter will be followed by an extremely lame little ending summary that could be classified as an epilogue, and a bonus epilogue with twist that **NONE OF YOU **will be ready for.

**Chapter 28 – Aftermath**

Destiny, a predetermined existence; the concept can both infuriate and advance a person. For some, destinies are filled out no matter what a person chooses; for others, they desire to fill out their fate exactly as they are designed to. Then there was the smaller handful, such as myself, who were told their destiny in whispers and bedtime stories since birth. This did nothing but anger me. I felt like I wouldn't be able to live my own life, that I was living something a higher being wanted me too. I felt if I surrendered to a predetermined fate, I wouldn't be a true human being, I would only be a puppet to God.

To live, to die, who decides it? Certainly not God, whoever that was. If I had learned anything while I resided in that hell with Courtney, it was that we control our own lives, and sometimes the lives of others. Destiny and fate had nothing to do with it.

Voices and beeping and lights began to steal me from my subconscious.

"She has several bite marks like the victims found in the rivers. Do you think she was telling the truth about that vampire?" A female voice asked. Beep. Beep. Beep.

A masculine voice replied, "I don't know, and it's not my job to know. Patch up every wound and treat the bite marks like a dog bite. There is trauma to the back of her head, another nurse mentioned the swelling has increased in the past few minutes. Test her system for any drugs, hook her up with some water, she's dehydrated, and _Christ_, give her something for the pain." There was a sudden pain in my wrist, I screamed in my subconscious. Beep, Beep, Beep! "A badly sprained wrist, too. Do a scan later and make sure it's not broken. The investigators might want to test for rape, go ahead and do it for them when you're done with everything else."

"Yes doctor." the female from before said in a rushed tone.

"God save the queen." He whispered, his voice fading.

Beep. Beep. Beep...

The darkness I continued to rest in had no sense of time. I heard the doctor and his nurses now and again, but after the doctor's voice faded for the second time, and that continuous beeping continued at a slow rate, beep beep beep, a very familiar and completely soothing voice took my ears and held me in oblivion. The voice was that of soft velvet, or the rolling of the gentle ocean waves, or a hum of a winding breeze in the valley. When the voice whispered my name, it was enough to tantalize me out of my darkness. A lighter condition brightened the vision of my closed eyes.

"Allison, I'm so sorry." The perfect voice told me again.

I tried to say a phrase in return, but my mouth never opened.

"I love you."

My sapphire eyes fought their way open against the light. The white walls and florescent lights of the hospital flooded my vision and for a moment white was all I could see.

"Allison?" The velvety voice asked with worry.

My blurry bright vision became focused with each blink. Darkness, light, darkness, light.

I looked to where the voice that aroused me was produced and I concentrated on the pale tan color of his square jaw and strong cheeks, the gorgeous yellow strands of his hair shining with the highlight of the lights above, then his intense, icy blue eyes that hovered over my form.

"Luke," I started, a faint smile on my lips. I was overjoyed just to see him, but I knew I would find even more comfort in his touch. My hand reached up to feel his smooth, cold skin. There was a pulse reader on my finger tip, it pressed against his unnaturally cool, unique skin. Skin that wasn't quite soft and squishy that held a certain hardness to it yet was comforting to lean into. He wasn't human, I knew, but behind his eyes and in his heart and _soul_ he was more of a human than any mortal. He held more emotion and felt more intensely than any human I'd ever met. It was honestly odd to imagine a life where his absence was predominate. "I love you." I voiced.

I hadn't realized what I said until after I'd said it again. The words just slipped from me without thought, they felt so right, so natural for me to say. And they were completely true. I prayed that what I'd said wasn't too much to say.

His eyebrows arched in their shock, then he closed his eyes and smiled to himself.

"I never thought that a near death experience would finally make you realize it." Luke replied softly. A small chuckle erupted and a very thankful sound was in his perfect voice.

"What? You mean, you knew?"

"Allison, everyone knew that you loved Luke except for you." Lucy chimed in sweetly. "Even Taylor, I bet." Taylor made no comment to that.

It was my turn to be surprised when my angel spoke. I blushed a respectable amount; I hadn't noticed the other people in the room when my confession came out. My world beheld only Luke as its centerpiece in those moments. I felt the warmth in my cheeks, my face was surely red as I looked up at Luke, then down at my lap.

"Hey," He started, his cool finger reaching underneath my chin. My eyes lifted to his benevolent again. "You're beautiful, you always will be. And I _also_ love you, Allison."

I wanted to shout in joy and cry in happiness at the same time; instead, Luke placed a sweet, slow kiss on my lips. It was intimately received.

"I bet I don't look very good with all of these tubes and bandages on me." I told Luke with a slight embarrassment. He shook his head.

"You always look very lovely." He replied, then kissed my forehead. "It's almost dawn. Taylor and I will see you again tonight."

I nodded my head toward him as he rose and turned toward the door. "Wait," I called back. "What ever did The Grand Council decide about me?"

Luke froze for a moment. He turned back, his eyes hidden under his blond hair. "Well... I sort of... improvised."

"He bought more time for your life by formally announcing to the Grand Council that you were dead." Taylor finished easily for him. Luke let his head fall before lifting it with an awkward smile. He shrugged his shoulders.

"What if they find out I'm not dead?" I asked carefully.

"Well, if that happens, I will make sure that you are at least kept alive long enough to do the job you want to do now." Taylor answered. His coal eyes narrowed over me, and I knew exactly of what he was referring.

Taylor understood exactly what I wanted. Yes, I'd always wanted to rid of Courtney, but after that experience in her personal hell, I wanted to kill her myself. _I_ wanted to be the one to end her life. I wanted to make her scream, bleed, beg, anything to give back even an ounce of horror she gave me. Taylor understood this and he was going to make it happen. I nodded a thank you toward him while Luke and Lucy looked a bit confused. There was no time for the group of us to discuss it at the moment, thankfully.

"I'll see you soon." Luke bid, and he and Taylor left the room.

There was a churning inside my stomach when the door closed, making me ill. But not physically, I was ill internally, deep within the chest where my soul and heart resided. There was unrest within me, unrest that wanted Courtney's head on a golden platter.

When my angel's gorgeous pink fleshy features and blonde hair, slightly curled near the bottom came into view, a fraction of the unrest subsided. She smiled at me with a certain worried glimmer in the oceanic blue of her orbs. I could tell she was very relieved to see me alive and awake.

"How long have I been like this?" I asked her, motioning toward the tubes running out of me and devices attached, either giving me water or keeping my pulse. The beep beep beep never ceased. She sat down in the seat next to my hospital bed. She held her arm under her flat stomach, the palm of her hand warmed the skin through her shirt. I frowned as I noticed this. I thanked whatever deity that was above that Lucy was not kidnapped also, and I was glad that she hadn't lost hope during the day or days I was missing. Time was a tool that was lost to me after I was taken.

"Well, about two days, I think. Nicolas and his father come by day and stay all day, Luke and Taylor come as soon as Nick and Luis retire for the evening and before they return. Everyone's been really worried." As she said this, I noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the lack of luster in her enthusiasm and tone.

"And what about you, Luce? When do you come and go?"

"I don't." She admitted. "I stay here, and sleep on that poor excuse for a bed." She pointed behind her on the makeshift bed of a cushioned bench covered in blankets on the other side of the room. "I want to stay, to be here for the moment when you woke up from your rest. You really look like you need more rest, too. I also stay because Luke wanted someone to be here to give him a signal of when it's okay for him to come, so that he doesn't conflict with anybody like Nicolas or Luis. I guess he owes me one now."

"Yeah." I replied. I glanced over her exhausted features. "You look like you need a hot shower a good night's sleep, Luce."

"Speak for yourself." She said, holding her nose to tease me about the fact I hadn't showered since before the kidnapping.

"Ew." I said when I realized this fact. The nurses had just sponge bathed me when I came in so that they could cleanly dress my wounds. Besides that, she was right.

We chatted a little while longer, avoiding the important subjects like what I'd thought about Lucy and her baby while I resided in hell, or perhaps how worried Lucy was for me. How would she have reacted to losing another close friend? Perhaps her last close friend. Henry Davidson, my Prime Minister and Lucy's love interest, came into the room and interrupted our petty chat while holding a bag of food and a fresh cup of coffee for Lucy. He was dressed casually, a look I hadn't seen on him, and his hair was freely flowing and not held intact with fancy hair products.

"Good morning, lovely!" He announced lively to Lucy. "How's the sleeping beauty?" he asked, then pecked a kiss on Lucy's cheek.

"Awake." We replied at the same time. He jumped into the air and looked over at me and saw my eyes were open.

"Good God! I didn't notice you had moved! I thought you'd still be resting, my Queen." He told me apologetically.

"I'm nobody's queen right now, Henry." I replied, a certain edge to my tone. It was the crack of dawn outside and the man was livelier than ever.

"Even so, it's a blessing to see you awake and recovering. Shall I call Nicolas and deliver him the good news or should I let him be just as surprised as I was?" he asked me.

"Let him sleep. I don't think the doctors will let me go anywhere at the moment."

"True. The dark cloud looming has parted, at least. The sunlight may now cut through and no longer dampen the hearts of this country! I must depart now, business calls me elsewhere."

With a skip in his step, my Prime Minister escaped from the room in poetry that was almost a song.

"He's definitely a keeper." I teased Lucy. She looked down at her knees and blushed. A short pause rested between us as I glanced at how her arms were positioned; she was cradling the growing baby within her without even realizing. "Have you told him about... you know?" I glanced at her stomach.

She half smiled. "Same answer to the question 'Have you told Luke that you're engaged to Nicolas?'"

I laughed nervously. "I see. Looks like we both have something to get off our chest with our men, then."

* * *

Within the day, Nicolas had come to my room and was very joyed to see that I was awake and fairly well. He came alone, and I took the opportunity to converse with him about how my disappearance was going to be covered up.

"Allison! I've been so worried. It's a great relief to see you awake." I could see that his words weren't fully expressing the extent of his joy.

"I'm relieved to see you too, Nicki." I replied softly with a smile. He gingerly placed a kiss on my cheek and I did the same for him. The stubble of a queen-less week chafed my lips. "Has anything happened politically since I've been in the hospital?"

"Nothing. No one has touched a single document while you've been... what happened to you, Allison?" He asked with his eyebrows curled in pure concern.

"What have you told the public?" I asked him.

"The public is censored right now. We wanted to keep the incident contained in case it was a political kidnapping."

"Not a political kidnapping." I retorted under my breath. Nicolas heard and leaned closer to my bed in his seat. His auburn hair fell over his eyes as he waited for my words to enlighten him of the true events.

"Nicolas, I want you to tell the public that my disappearance was merely an accident. I was out riding when the storm began, then my horse and I slipped from the edge of a small cliff and I was trapped at the base in the rain and found by a guard who was in the search parties to find me."

The man seemed shocked and drawn aback by my statement. "Everyone will know that it isn't the truth." Meaning _'Tell me the truth.'_

"But they will accept it because they'll be told nothing else." Translation _'I'm not going to tell you.'_

"What is the truth, Allison? I can see horror in your eyes, but I can't imagine what events had taken you away from your home for fifty-four hours and brought you back in your current condition." I could detect the plea in his voice. It was the same begging that he'd possessed since I returned and he wanted to know where I'd been and what I'd been doing.

"I'll tell you, but not today. Please, I don't wish to recall right now."

The stunning brown eyes searched over me for a moment, they tried to uncover any hidden meanings or truths my eyes may have held. Then he gave up, and bowed his head. "Yes, your majesty." I internally flinched at the formality of his response. There was no fondness in it at all.

"I am truly sorry, Nicki. I wish I could tell you everything that you deserve to hear, but now is not the time."

"I understand perfectly, Allison."

I doubted those words, but replied, "Alright." Our conversations then and for the next two weeks were weak and short. They lacked intimate subjects and fondness. Our relationship was casual and business-like and every time I noticed this I strained to make him understand why I could not abide my knowledge in him.

In those two weeks, my injuries had healed. My wrist was strong again, my wounds were mere scars that were almost invisible against the milky tone of my skin, but my hair had remained the same honeysuckle color of a white blonde equivalent to Courtney's. Nobody, not even myself, knew exactly why I didn't dye it back. Part of the reason, if there was one, was because the cover story Nicolas publicized told that I'd wanted a change in hair color after I was crowned, and in the same day the 'horrible accident' happened (that my horse had slipped and I tumbled down a cliff while I was riding and the storm caught me outdoors). The other part of the reason I didn't wash out the color was because I wanted it to be a reminder to Luke, Taylor, Lucy and Julie. A reminder to why we'd come back to the country and what our goal was. Courtney. Killing Courtney, capturing Courtney, murdering, tearing, burning, cutting Courtney.

I made sure to see Taylor every day after I was released from the hospital. He would stare at me with dark, vengeful eyes when I floated passed him in a becoming dress. I appreciated the passion he held in them for her death very much; I knew mine now equaled his. My cosplay wasn't well appreciated by Luke, however. Luke's beautiful icy eyes would pass over me and he'd silently disapprove of my choices of attire and my behavior around Taylor. I was sure that my striking resemblance to the vampiress with the complete hair color brought up memories for him, too. He understood why I acted so disturbed; I had been with the disturbed and cursed, and he blamed himself for that. I knew he wanted me to be consoled and happy, but that couldn't happen while Courtney lived. I had gotten myself in too deep to ever back out and be satisfied with existing on the same plane as her. Vengeance was a curse in my blood now, compared to my ignorant, witless days in America when I was never so absorbed in revenge and I was capable of moving passed my mother's death and royal duty without the knowledge of any vampire. Of course, as fate would have it, my blood was too strong and curious to just leave the mysteries and secrets unsolved and unrevealed. I had sought the knowledge of my mother's killer and the secrets of my family's curse and I had received them; and now I looked at the situation I had created around myself and couldn't complain. Perhaps it would have been better if I never found the knowledge I sought. Perhaps not. There was no way to tell, and in all honesty, I wouldn't have it any other way.

The night was bare and lacked a moon when I abandoned the dresses of Courtney's choice and I appeared before Luke in his favorite outfit on me, a simple black robe which dragged along the floor and untied to reveal the lacy lingerie beneath.

I made the two weeks prior to this night a sort of festival leading up to the big event we'd all been waiting for: Courtney's execution. I liked to think I had gotten everybody in the mood for that day; it certainly was a day worth celebrating. Taylor scarcely came out of the library, Lucy comforted when it was needed, Julie was constantly on a string of errands, and Luke was more grim than I'd ever seen him before. He worried, so much, and he wanted to blame himself for everything that was happening. I couldn't let him do that, though.

He sat on the edge of my bed with his hands folded underneath his chin and watched with hungry eyes as I walked before him in his favorite. "Luke, please don't worry anymore." I began in a soft plea. I knelt before him and placed my chin on his knee.

"Easier spoken than accomplished." He replied.

"You look terrible."

"You look amazing. Please, it is I who should be at your knees." He urged me to rise and I did and took a place in his lap. My warm hands cupped his cold face with skin so unique and smooth...

"I apologize for the way I've been acting lately. I know you've been worried, about more than just I. I assure you, you won't have to worry anymore very soon."

He was puzzled by this decree. His skin, usually a perfect marble smoothness and whiteness now took a bit of a gray tint. I thought it was because his diet had strictly been bottled blood ever since the kidnapping. He couldn't stand to leave my side when the sun was absent, not even for an instant to feed. I wished nothing more than for his happiness at this point, because I knew he'd given so much, and whatever way I could give him bliss, I bent to the will of his felicity.

"Apology not needed. I understand completely why you've acted the way you have. There is no fallacy." He replied cordially.

I stood, and the robe once tied around my body found the floor. I recognized the faint smirk on the edges of Luke's lips and the unmistakable lust in his eyes. During the love making, I allowed my blood to be a desire he could savor in. As I said, I bent to whatever aspiration he possessed. Usually just a small, painless slit would be made and sampled. I felt reticent when he kissed every single scar on my body that I received from Courtney. He felt guilt in them, and even though they were practically invisible to my eyes, he must have seen them with ease. After this, I would do all I could to pleasure, and he would do the same. Even within these darker hours there was always a candle lit with just a glint of good times and romance. I loved him, I knew.

We were very close, so much so that it was difficult to image the room without his presence in it. I rose from the bed after our intimate connection, drew on a robe, and he followed me with only a pair of boxers to cover him. I gathered the two of us in the library, where the door to the outside balcony was open and a soft breeze traveled in carrying scents of earth and nectar. It was light and open in this room. I wanted to see Luke's face before I expressed this to him:

"I want to go through with the plan. The plan for deception." Too quick to listen, he retorted,

"Allison, I couldn't possibly leave you alone after-"

"NO!" I shouted so suddenly, I startled him. He has honestly drawn back by the outburst, confused by it, even. "After what? What she did to me?" I began, beginning an uproar within myself. His rejection of my request sparked a sudden rage in me. I wasn't angry with him, I was just suddenly angry in general. "You cannot begin to understand what she has done to me. What it stirs within me!" My booming tone and my actions made him actually fall back on his bottom. The vampire Lucas fell off balance because he was startled by the actions of another; it was unheard of. I began to pace around the room, ranting. "I don't _care_ what you do. I won't have any limits, I won't harbor a single drop of jealously over it... Go to her, speaking lovingly to her, _sleep with her_ if you have to! I don't care what you do, goddamn it, just get her to where Taylor wants her, where I will be waiting as the bait, and _I want to kill her myself_!" I was chaotic. The storm brewing within me had built to the level I'd waited for it to, the level that would be enough for me to stab that wicked devil through the heart. I ran outside unto the balcony and threw myself against the railing outside; I clenched the smooth stone of that rail as hard I could and I screamed at the top of my lungs into the climax of this delirious outburst. "For everything she's done, to me, my family, my friends! I will take the very vengeance from her name and kill her with it!"

A cold pair of arms grabbed me tightly around the waist, broke my grip on the stone, and dragged me back inside of the room.

"Allison! Calm the hell down _now_."

My back found the Indian carpet that was on the floor near the balcony doors, Luke had pinned me down with his body. I struggled for a moment, but it was very useless under his awesome strength.

"Now," He continued. "You say you want to go through with the plan of deception?"

"Yes." I told him, my breaths ragged.

"The reason I refrain is because I don't want to hurt you, Allison. I might have to do things that I would normally never do because I am loyal to who I love."

"I know you are, Lucas. I trust you, I love you. I understand that it will be an act. I know you won't leave me for her. Please, we will finally be able to kill her. I must, soon, or else I will become just as twisted and full of hate as she is..." I began to choke as I told Lucas this. "Every day I become more like her and I don't want to be like her at all." I broke into tears, now. He stopped pinning me to the ground and cradled my body into his chest and let me cry bitter, unfinished tears. "I must kill her before I become her." I whispered, my body shaking.

"You are not her, Allison. You're just not. You never will be, trust me." He promised.

.x. Lucas

The night after Allison proposed to me to follow through with the plan of deception Taylor and I had concocted, I traveled to the location Allison told me Courtney was staying. The vampiress hid in secret passages that led from the castle and winded underneath the graveyard! The only godforsaken place I hadn't searched for Allison was _underground_. Goddammit all.

But that was in the past now, so Allison helped me see, and I was on my way to prove to Courtney that I was back on her side to stay, and that I only had eyes for her, and all of that horse shit.

I came into the underground entrance from the outside. The night was brisk, the air was fresh, but inside the hell, as Allison described, it was dank, damp and restricted. Differing from Allison, I liked dark, restricted, narrow places; the reason I slept in a coffin rather a regular bed. (And the other vampires call_ me_ odd).

As I traveled along the underground passageways, I was greeted by a freshly turned young man in tattered clothes. It turned out that his skin ripped just as easily as the clothes; in a fraction of a second the young one was just a few separated limbs and stains of red.

Because of that first disturbance, several more of Courtney's fledglings were met along the way. They came at me with hisses and tiny claws and fangs, some with metal objects, but not a one touched me. I made sure to rip each one apart, beyond repair. I'd always killed Courtney's minions; they were an embarrassment to the vampire community and rather illegal, considering she let them break the laws with her. Creating armies or forces of any sort had become outlawed when I came to be a vampire. Her fledglings led me, one mutilation at a time, to where Courtney was. She must have heard me coming, because when I dismembered her last minion, a labored woman in ratty clothes, I stepped into the decorated underground room she abided in and she was ready for me.

In her thin hand rested a scared, shaking child. Courtney always loved the premature sweet blood of the child over the matured essences in adults. I did nothing as she sliced easily at the neck of the child and poured the two of us a glass. Crystal glass goblets were filled with crimson red; the body of the child lay abandoned by the couch as she rose and offered the drink to me. This act was a test; one to see how soft I'd become or hadn't become, and two if I was on her side enough to drink with her, just as we used to.

I had no other choice but to accept the obscene, yet suited gesture.

I promised Allison that she wasn't anything like Courtney, and here was the proof in cold blood.

Blood was absent in her pale flesh, but she was just a beautiful as when I sank my fangs into her neck that first time. Beauty and to have that beauty forever was really all she ever desired in her heart, if there was one within her chest. She didn't need any companion or other company. She didn't need anything but her own beauty and the beauty of the kill, with a lick of vengeance in every drop. Why then did she desire me in this moment? I could sense her jealousy of my love for Allison, but I couldn't understand why she felt that way. It wasn't because she loved me, I knew Courtney was not capable of such an emotion. Even if she could love she wouldn't just suddenly begin to love me now if she hadn't three hundred years prior when I gave her what she most desired. The answer was simple, Courtney wanted me to adore her and be under her spell. I was the only being she'd come across that she actually felt a sense of respect toward. When she had me under her control it was as if she were the mistress of a grand king; she was the controller of the ruler with more power than she could ever hope to have. Now that I was being _taken away_ by Allison, she wanted me to become to her loyal puppet again.

Before me she swayed her perfect hips, taunted me with her delicate, fluttering lashes and deep blue eyes, deep like the ocean's darkness and abyss.

About two hundred years ago, this seductive trick worked without flaw. My blind mind was deceived by every trap she set, I fell to my knees with every kiss, and beckoned after every curl of her finger...

Two hundred years ago.

Just recalling my pathetic, slaved-to-Courtney self made me realized just how right Taylor was on the matter. How much my behavior was feeble and pitiful. Today, on this night, her ruse wouldn't work. It would never work again, but it was the goal to make her believe that she indeed had power over me. There was a certain churn in my stomach that foreshadowed that I wasn't going to agree with what I'd have to perform to convince her I was still her puppet and I still desired her more than the rising sun.

I thought of Allison and her pleasant, kind smile. The churning dissipated.

"Lucas, my love, what a surprise. I just knew for sure that the _mortal whore_ wouldn't be able to hold your attention for very long. She lasted what, a few months? I'm going to be here for you forever, Luke, just as you wanted me to be. Do you remember what you said to me the night you blessed me with eternal beauty?"

She was good. Demeaning Allison and recalling my intense infatuation I once felt for her all in one breath. I didn't let the anger reach my eyes for insulting the love of my existence. Instead I smirked and made the sound I knew she appreciated, the sound of a man almost _growling_ over their strong desire to be with her. It wasn't a difficult sound to make, especially since I was thinking of Allison.

"I believe I said in a slow, possessive whisper, _'You are mine, forever.'_" I emulated the stance I had been in then, three hundred years ago... She allowed me to close in on her, my mouth touched the outer lobe of her ear and I let the cold breath wash over her bare neck. Her elegant dress didn't cover anything from the shoulders up and her pure-colored skin was on display for me, her honeysuckle hair had a stronger scent from my proximity. It was delightful, I would admit, but a pretty jewel was just that; pretty to look at and admire, useless in any other pretense.

"Forever, my love." She whispered in a poisonously sweet tone. Her head bent up so that her eyes could cast the spell they held over me. I didn't let it work but my arms worked around her waist accordingly. A gentle embrace, one with a fondness which two lovers would share. I could easily kill her now, I could crush her body or tear her to shreds, right now in this instant.

But Allison said she wanted- no, _needed_ to be the one to end Courtney. I saw images and short clips of what happened to her while she was in Courtney's possession. It was terrible enough for me to understand where she was coming from when she said that she wanted to kill Courtney herself.

"My beautiful, gorgeous darling," I whispered to Courtney, and let my cheek touch the soft, bright blonde hair curling from her head. The white blonde was the exact same shade that was now Allison's hair color. Courtney had dyed Allison's hair for the purpose of telling me of the person Allison should remind me of every time I look at her. Courtney, the angel-faced devil in my arms. Courtney wanted to remind me of who I had 'loved' first, who I had devoted myself to first. She always had a plan, and she was very crafty in the art of manipulation. "You are too good, my love. I can no longer stand to be apart from you, and pretend like I don't adore you still. No mortal could every replace you, my immortal bride." I confessed. The lies I weaved were in character for me, but not a hint of truth existed within them.

Courtney seemed very pleased with my words. She smiled and sighed with a sound of a triumphant soul. Too bad she harbored no soul in any part of her body at all. "I'd knew you'd be back. You always come back. So loyal..." What was I, a dog? "Luke, before I tell you of my intentions, you must prove something to me."

"Anything," I whispered, wanting to know of her intentions.

"Take me and never take any mortal so long as I allow it. I shall beckon to your every pleasure if you beckon to mine, and I wish for you to assist me in the destruction of the Lockett line forever. Perhaps after Allison is gone, I shall be free from with hateful curse cast upon me, and I shall be able to love and laugh and sit before my reflection again. This time, with you by my side. How does that sound?"

"It sounds too good to be true, Courtney. Could you really end the line of the Locketts and cast your vengeance aside?" I asked, right on cue.

"If you can promise to be by my side, only my side, for the rest of eternity, then I shall do anything for you. I know you desire a companion, and that companion is me. I've been ungrateful to your deeds for so long, it is time I pay them back." She pressed her hand to the side of my cheek and let her abyssal eyes fill with a sparkle of promise. I saw that the painted emotion was stolen from the candlelight from the far side of the room. She was empty. Every word she said was a complete guise, whether she knew that herself was the true question.

"How long has it been since you've had a man, my angel?" I asked, shifting my fingers through her hair.

"Not terribly long..." She replied, a certain keen tone arriving to her behavior.

"A _real_ man, love."

"None since you left me." she replied in a lower tone. She meant to cause stimulation, she did just the opposite. _Correction,_ I thought in my head, _you_ _left me_.

"What if I wanted to wait until after Allison was dead to take you again? That way you'd truly be mine and I wouldn't be sharing you with revenge." I asked, hoping to deffer my way around actual being intimate with Courtney. Even though Allison gave me permission, it still wasn't acceptable to have sex with another, to me.

"Then I'd know you were only here for a guise." She answered sharply, her cold blue eyes narrowing to me. I would be found out and not trusted if I didn't do this, basically. "Besides, you've already taken me when I belonged to revenge. You didn't have a problem then." She reminded coolly. One of her pale hands found my shoulder and she pressed her lovely form against mine. She figured that if there was any chance that I was lying to her now, and I truly did love Allison, I wouldn't be able to go through with what she wanted me too. She knew I wasn't that type of man.

Oh God, Allison, forgive me. I pressed my thin lips over her cold, blood glossed ones, and it reminded me immediately of the night Allison gave herself to me. That thought alone was enough to get me through the intimate act Courtney wanted me to partake in.

Afterwards, I proposed my complete loyalty to Courtney, and continued on to the next part of the plan; convincing Courtney to a secluded, barricaded area. "Shall we lure Allison out of her palace and watch her shatter?" I suggested. "She doesn't know where I am right now. She assumes hunting, what a hurtful shock it'll be when she realizes who I truly love."

"You're so cruel, Lucas," she replied. "I love it." A dark glint dashed across her eye as she found stimulation from thinking about Allison in emotional agony. She imagined causing Allison so much pain that she killed herself and saved Courtney the trouble; I flinched internally when I saw the vampiress before me picture that in her demented mind.

"Go, lure Allison somewhere where her death will be befitting for her." Courtney commanded with a flick of her wrist. I wanted to rip her conceited arm from her socket for ordering me around like I was just another minion.

"The royal cemetery?" I suggested in a placid voice.

"Perfect, my love."

.x. Allison

The sun descended to its slumber in the belly of the sky. There was a pleasant breeze in the sunset scene, the dying sun of dazzling colors held a certain hope as it cast over the green, spring setting below me. The horse whinnied in delight and impatience, I held fast to the reigns and took a few minutes to think over my actions from here on out.

"Time is precious" they always say. That's true, if one is a mortal. On average, one would get eighty, maybe ninety years to accomplish life with modern technology. That seems long enough, but really, compared to other creatures who get to live longer, like vampires... That's eighty years to grow, learn and do all one wants to do, and then prepare themselves for death. Eighty years to mature into beauty, and then wither as the petals of the honeysuckle in the cold.

Some fear death. Others, only fear what they will leave behind or will not have the chance to accomplish. A fewer number, myself included, no longer fear death or anything associated with it because they had stared into the face of death. Death had tortured me, but death had not succeeded in destroying me. Hell, I even embraced a form of death as a lover. I welcomed death in more ways than one ever had the chance too. And when one spits into the face of death, one invokes the mortal-given right to live, and also to die.

Tonight, I looked upon the last few embers of light on the mountains of that horizon and I knew, in my soul, that death was going to be embraced.

It was unavoidable.

It was inevitable.

_(Author's Note: Question of the chapter, do you think it was alright for Luke to sleep with Courtney or do you think he could have tried harder to talk his way out of it? Let me know!)_


	31. Chapter XXIX

**Note:** Thank you for 15,000 views, but what if I had said no new chapter until I saw 230 reviews? You guys would be fucked because you never review what you read. D: Excluding those who did review, of course. Still, I appreciated my readers, but I'd love to know you all at least exist and it's the not the site screwing with my story stats saying this story has one hundred more views than yesterday and still no more reviews. I _know_ three reviewers did not rack up 400+ hits in one week. Come on, guys.

My point: Please review?

And enjoy the _almost end _to the tale. Forgive me for shortness. I didn't want to over-word this.

**Chapter 29 – Revenge**

I believe Taylor genuinely smiled when Luke and I told him that we wanted to go through with his plan for deception. Here stood a man who spent most of his vampire career hunting Courtney Vengeance; his victory was within grasp since he now held Luke and I on his fingertips. His own personal puppets of revenge.

The beginning of the night after Luke's consent was spent perfecting the plot and adding personal touches to make the plan of conceit and deception full-proof and believable. Taylor stressed, above all, how important it was for **no** error to be made. The fire in his coal eyes was blazing as he repeated the plan to our troop, which consisted of Luke, Taylor, myself, and Julie who was immediately ordered to round up a few other vampires under Taylor's apparent command for physical force. We knew our part, and Taylor his. I would later admit that Taylor's well crafted mind was absolutely brilliant in this plot. Now, however, I was only focused on the goal that _needed_ to be accomplished, before it was too late. The rage within me was getting more and more difficult to control and mask during the day hours. Sometimes I accidentally broke handles from tea cups in the morning when think of Courtney, sometimes I stabbed the silver fork through the cheaper porcelain plates at dinner when thinking of her victims.

Luke was sent to beguile Courtney and 'join her ranks' by the mid of the following night. I was apprehensive all during the day because Lucas hadn't returned before dawn. I figured it was better he hadn't, because then we all knew that the first phase of our plot had been successful. Courtney had believed the act Luke put on for her. I could only imagine of what Luke's act consisted of. I told him myself, I wouldn't have limits, but it still made me feel uneasy to think about _him_ seducing _her_. Hadn't I once dreamt _(a/n: dreamt or dreamed?)_ a nightmare of that affair? Jealousy was put below me by the time the sun set and I prepared myself for the event that would inevitably come the night after this. The night after Lucas returned to Taylor and I and told us of his success.

"Courtney _ordered_ me to come here and lure you to the royal cemetery, Allison... where she plans to kill you, I might add." My blond-haired man told me with licks of cynicism in his tone. Taylor was amused as he listened.

"Perfect. She thinks that you will take care of me while she takes care of Allison." Taylor was practically dripping in victory. The arrogant, dark-haired vampire was very sure of himself.

"Which I _won't _let happen." Luke added with a dark, promising tone. I felt comfort in that.

"Of course, Luke. By tomorrow night I'll have more numbers to guard the area that this, if you will, _final showdown_ is taking place." The black-haired vampire turned to me and narrowed his eyes, "Allison, you_ must_ be successful in Courtney's execution. Naturally, your strength with your weapon of choice will not damaged Courtney, so Luke will assist you by draining her before you perform the execution. A vampire drained of blood becomes just as vulnerable as a human," he informed me. "Please, do not fail."

The last sentence he told me held a certain threat to it, but it was covered over by the desperate, very faint beg. I thought that I was hearing things; Taylor Halling definitely did not _beg_.

"I understand." I responded. The blatant storm of fire and wind within me continued. The closer I came to meeting Courtney in a duel, the more revenge became a necessity.

After the three of us discussed next part of the plot, Lucas had to take leave from me again. I wished for him to stay and be a comfort to me on the darkest of the nights, but the wish was lost to the cruel vanity of vengeance in my chest.

"Lucas," I voiced before he had a chance to turn and run out of the window on my balcony. The same way he'd came. "Please be careful." I let out, not wishing to say what I truly wanted.

"Please do not worry yourself." He replied, his arms circling around me. Tonight his touch was different. His eyes swam with guilt and his voice was sad and miserable.

I knew the answer to my question then.

I glanced into his eyes, and asked if he'd slept with Courtney by imagining what I thought it looked like with her and him together.

He only nodded once, then bowed his head in silent apology. I had told him that act was acceptable. I knew he only did what was necessary. By tomorrow Courtney would be gone. By tomorrow, what I felt tonight would no longer matter. I wouldn't let myself be hurt, I _couldn't._

_One more night..._ I told myself. Luke kissed my forehead, not once did he touch my precious lips, and I watched him disappear into the distance and darkness. An ominous wind took my hair as I followed after him to the stone rail, then watched the landscape below me sway with unrest. Every leaf and limb knew of what blood would be spilled.

_One more night.

* * *

_

"I'm starving. Want to go to dinner with me?" Lucy asked. The sun was low in the sky, but not yet swallowed by the looming mountains. I took my gaze away from the window and acknowledged Lucy's question.

"Not tonight. I have somewhere to go in a few moments." I looked directly into her eyes and swallowed a nervous lump as I said this. She was confused for a moment, but realized after she recognized the funeral look in my eye.

"Oh my God, it's tonight?" A jolt came to her expressions. She already worried.

I slowly nodded my head, then smiled a smile that told her not to be too concerned. I didn't want this young, sweet, soon-to-be mother worrying over things she didn't have to trouble herself upon. I wanted her to live a long, happy life, nurturing the child within her womb that I already loved though I did not know him or her. "You look lovely tonight, Lucy. I'll see you in the morning?"

"You _better_, Ally! You better see me in the morning or _else_." She replied strongly. Her voice wanted to cry, she refused to let anymore tears fall.

"I love you. You're the greatest friend I could ever hope for." I told her. She embraced me tightly when I told her this, my good-bye, and I swear I felt two hearts beat within her.

Or perhaps it was my own heart within my chest, drumming so rapidly it gave the illusion of two.

Closer to dusk I saw her and Prime Minister Davidson speaking. She held a face of hesitation and anticipation as she spoke words to him. I didn't stick around long enough nor was I close enough to know of what they spoke of.

Before I traveled to the stables to find my prized black stallion, I found my oldest friend in the parlor of his wing of the palace.

This fateful night may very well be the last night that I had to see him. Taylor's plan was full-proof but no one was perfect. Anything could go wrong and anyone could die tonight when I rode out to the cemetery to confront the devil who'd caused so much grievance and terror. I couldn't leave Nicolas on the bad terms we grasped. It'd be cruel to leave him for a second time without a good-bye.

These passed two nights were the nights for being unfaithful in its purest levels. Anticipation, then declaration, resolution. Nicki and I hadn't spoken in days, it seemed, but I was going to make sure it wasn't in vain. Nicolas caught eye of me as I entered the parlor, he stood to greet me in the most formal, fondless of ways; I flung my arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips with a passion of a love that was meant for siblings seeking incest and fully justifying their actions with romance. Nicolas stumbled back and our lips fell apart, but after regaining footing his arms caught me and he claimed my lips again. Shock was evident in him, but he honestly didn't care the reason why. Finally our lips tore apart with an instinct to breath.

"Nicolas, you will know everything after this night, after I do what I must and I come back to this palace. I promise you this." I held his hands in mine as I proclaimed this. His dark brown eyes, wide and full of wonder, glanced over me and my irregular actions, stance, words... I was practically bowing to him as I promised these things.

"Al-alright." Was all he could manage for a reply. He didn't move an inch.

"Forgive me, but right now I must leave you in the dark again."

With this I took my leave. I sprinted down the staircases to the entrance and along the gravel path to the stables where I retrieved my horse.

_The night had come.

* * *

_

The horse whinnied again as I let my attention stay in the darkening trees of the wood surrounding the base of the mountain. The sun had then been swallowed below the horizon, the colors of the portrait faded into grays and blues of the evening. I responded to the beast's sound of impatience and gave a whip at the reigns. "The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." I recited quietly to myself. The feet of the beast trailed, along the cold ground and black path, toward the destination of a death. A death that only the ones who knew the future could tell, a death that would be my blood or blood bled over my hands.

The royal cemetery was only fitting for this death.

I sensed a presence in the shady trees as I approached the rusted, iron gates of the enclosed cemetery. As I enlightened Taylor Halling before, the royal resting place was once a fort, so the stone walls covered in thick, dark ivy and moss towered just high enough to keep the vandal kids out and the dead in. I dismounted my stallion and held tight at his reigns, he whined loudly with unrest.

"Shh, easy." I told the black beast.

The silent, serene tranquility of the night was disturbed with a sharp and sudden crack of nature's limb.

I gripped the hide of the reigns tighter and jerked my neck around. Suspense rolled through me, but it easily subsided. There was no way Courtney or Lucas was here already. Taylor and whoever he brought to help were the only ones filling the woods at the moment. I gathered up my courage and let the fiend of vengeance lick at my blood when suspense subsided.

I tied the stallion's reigns to a post next to the rusted iron gateway into the resting place. In the horse's saddle rested a fine sheathed blade I'd taken from the trophy room. It held no family or royal value, I would have been utilizing the blade of my father had it not been buried with my mother three years ago...

Tonight would be for her, _mi madre_. And for Daniel, and the angel he left behind. Tonight was for justice, for retribution, but most of all vengeance. Tonight would be the night that Courtney would rest within these cold stone walls of the royal cemetery where she belonged. Dead forever, a queen of my ancestors, long gone, in my past. My revenge that was ignited in her underground hell, that rose within me in flames and arson, would rest with her in her slumber, and after this night I would be able to return to normal, whatever normal was. After tonight, we would all refer to Courtney in the past tense.

The only matter now to discuss with death was if I made it out alive or not. I prayed for the prior, but it made no difference to me, truly. I drew the blade from it's sheath. With a metallic sound it glinted in the little moonlight that allowed me sight on this reckoning evening.

I saw a figure in it's reflection. Instantly, I whirled around and confronted the demon of the darkness, ready to kill.

Of course, only the pleasant white mask painted with a smirk of the dark haired vampire who'd thought of this entire plan received me. It was the first time I'd seen the man dressed in anything other than a fine suit; the vampire wore dark clothes he could afford to get a little blood on tonight. I relaxed, then in a quick blur the sword disappeared from my hand! I saw Taylor standing before me with it, then he tossed it aside.

"Hey!" I barked in pure irritation. "Taylor Halling..." I let his name slide from my tongue like venom as I narrowed my eyes toward him.

"Allison Lockett." He voiced my name like it were some sort of song.

"That is _Reina_ Allison to you." I spat at him, thick on Spanish syllables. "Luke and Courtney are coming if they are not here already. I suggest you stop harassing me unless you want to be in the cross fire, _accidentally, _of course."

"They will both arrive momentarily. I have my forces guarding every inch of this cemetery, your boundaries are the walls. She will not escape this time, now that we have her contained in a confined area, but if we move in she will run, as always. I'm afraid that this is going to be up to you and Lucas, my dear. Anyway, I wanted to give you a gift."

I had known most of what he said, but I was rather surprised at the gift part. There was no time for this! "At a time like this, Taylor?"

He nodded and in one motion, pulled another long sword wrapped in its sheath from his black overcoat and bowed to present the weapon to me like any other servant. I was shocked as he went down on one knee, lowered this head, and held the sword out with his white palms raised, facing upward. I was even more shocked when I recognized the Catalan on the cover. 'David Anthony Lockett - La seva Majestat el Rei'

I reached out for the sword with a cool, steady hand. There was a nagging in the back of my mind to _hurry. _"How?" I asked when I grabbed the sheath and drew the gorgeous blade, perfectly sharpened and shined after so many years. "How do you have my father's sword? My mother was the last one in possession of this!" I was suddenly bitten with anger. Taylor stole from me as well? _There's no time!_ My mind nagged again.

"I wish you the best of luck, your majesty." he said in strong Catalan. It was odd, to hear no tease or play in his tone when he voiced compliments. Perhaps he was being so nice because I was about to fulfill his dream. "I have faith in you." he bid, looking beyond me to the entrance to the cemetery, and then retreated into the darkness of the wood.

My horse whined in agitation again. I ignored every confused thought running through me concerning Taylor and the weapon in my hands and I only focused myself on Courtney and my rage for her. The storm within me had been building up to this point. I was ready.

With determined steps I turned and pushed my way through the old iron bars into the enclosed area of the cemetery. A fog of death rolled over the inside of the area. Gravestones swam in the dismal ocean of mist and darkness. I climbed over ghastly grave markers and around morbid mausoleums to the center of this scene of resting souls.

.x. Lucas

Courtney and I had formulated a plan and _taken it into action_, so she thinks. It was odd to play two roles at once; I had gone to Allison, told her of Courtney's plan and instructed her to meet me at the cemetery to take Courtney down, because that's exactly what Allison was going to do. Courtney, on the other hand, thought that I was meeting Allison there after 'hunting' to let her tear Allison apart. This brilliant plan was Taylor's work and he calculated for Courtney to conjure the exact plan she had, so really she was playing right into his hands this time. That man astonished me sometimes.

"Do I look like I'm dressed fit for a queen?" the devil with the angel's face asked, twirling around in the luxurious material. The ruffles danced just above the earthen floor beneath her toes. I didn't answer right away and came to her, taking my hand above her head and catching her wrist, so that she might have someone to spin her around. The dress continued to dance with the soft honeysuckle curls of her hair.

"You always look fit enough to be the queen." I replied at last, saying exactly what she wanted to hear. "Shall we go?" I asked the vampiress with bright yellow hair.

She nodded sweetly toward me, but she hesitated to follow when I led the way out.

"How do I know that when we go, I won't be the one to die?" I stopped as she asked this and turned toward her. My face was blank. I prayed to whatever God was above, '_do not give this wench a prophetic sixth sense_ now_ of all times!_'

"Courtney, I promise, you are my entire world. I will do whatever I must do to prove this to you..." I paused, thought of a brilliant idea, then expressed it to her. "How about after I get rid of Halling, _I_ kill Allison for you. You can watch me hurt her and break her down before your very eyes, how does that please you, my dear?"

She seemed to think for a moment, then she grinned and was very pleased with the idea. "Alright. I look forward to this, dearest Lucas." She brushed passed me with a vampire's grace and led the way.

_Dearest Lucas_ was what Allison addressed me as in the letter she wrote to me after we made love for the first time. I would never forget that night. It was the night that I was finally freed from Courtney's unbreakable spell of infatuation. I became a free man that night; though I was now slaved to Allison, but in a way that I certainly wanted to be for the rest of the era.

"My love, this will be a night to remember."

.x. Allison

With cautious sapphire eyes I looked around my foggy surroundings all while trying my best to keep calm. A movement caught the corner of my eye and I darted around to see what it was. Next my voice caught in my throat as I saw the misty image of Courtney standing before me.

My heart skipped a beat and I froze, my insides churning, threatening to become mush if I dared blink and let her from my sight. For several seconds I stared at her image, and after my fear had settled, I laughed bitterly to myself.

I was looking at myself in a nearby mirror.

Louder I laughed at my reflection and then drew closer, wondering what a dusty mirror was doing in a place like this. It was aged and cracked in some places, attached to the tomb behind it; black spots grew in the corners, tearing at the perfect glass as dark vines clasped the item to the earth. I touched the surface, running my hand over the dust so I could get a clearer image of myself.

Humans were pathetic.

As I thought this I heard a dark laughter and a low mutter very close to me. I turned, ripping the sword from the cover and holding it to the ground, at first. _The plan... stick to the plan_, my mind badgered now. The small amount of moonlight glistened on the blade, across the letters of my heritage, then I jerked my head up to meet the soft padding of footsteps approaching rapidly. Two sets of legs came to a halt only feet from me; one was Lucas, windblown and bent over slightly with a certain carnal attribute, and the other was Courtney, standing perfectly straight with her arms crossed underneath her breasts. Her honeysuckle hair swayed luxuriously in the slight breeze, coving her deep blue eyes that threatened red.

I glared at Courtney before I looked to Luke. _Cue my shock... _My entire ridged body limped as I looked upon Luke and I felt all of the blood rush away from my face. Courtney made a sound of amusement.

"Lucas." she commanded simply, signaling to the sword in my hand in a way I hadn't seen her move, but she had.

In a split second, the cold metal of the blade was lost from my grasp. I heard a soft thunk only a couple yards away... not too far because I would need it in just a few moments. My head looked from the sword to Luke, suddenly standing in front of me with both of my wrists in a tight grip. I made a sound of surprise and denial and struggled against him.

"Luke? What are you doing, she's right there! Grab her!" I sounded hysteric, and I fought uselessly. Was I too dramatic for this act? No, I was being betrayed, and my family killer was right next to my love. I should sound hysteric.

He simply grinned in amusement before knocking me easily to the ground with a simple flick of his wrists. _Toward the direction of the sword._ He returned to Courtney's side like a loyal lap dog, a role I knew he despised with all his being. "Rules have changed, _Allison_." His tone, it was a teasing and a mocking on a level I'd never heard from him before, and very believable. "You couldn't have expected me to stay very long... though what we did share I'll savor with your blood as I drain you, little pet." His fangs revealed now with a silent hiss my human ears couldn't comprehend.

"How could you betray me like this, Luke?" I shot at him from the ground, ice in my eyes. His true icy eyes recognized my ability to make this believable. Courtney was perfectly fooled. She found this entire act of betrayal and hurt amusing.

Lucas smirked, chuckling at my accusation. Courtney slid forward, not in an immediate threatening way, and Luke reluctantly allowed her to pull me up cradle my form in her pale arms. It was falsely gentle.

"Yes, Luke. How could you? The poor girl is already going to die, why should she die knowing she was betrayed by her lover as well?" I was dropped to the ground again. "You're absolutely evil." she purred now. "The hurt in her eyes from a betrayed lover is _much_ better than the plan I had to bury her alive." I could sense Luke flinch as she said this, though he didn't move and inch or lose his dark smirk.

That _succubus_, that's the only word I had to describe her as she reached out to Luke. And he, because I knew he would do whatever it took to lead Courtney on at this point, no matter how much it hurt me, received the willing Courtney into his arms and they shared a kiss.

There. That was the signal. Luke grabbed her around the waist and growled in the base of his throat, a sign of domination as the kiss grew. She didn't suspect... she didn't suspect a _damn_ thing as she relished in their moment, eagerly returning Luke's gesture in order to put me in more pain. I moved from my place on the ground and reached out for the sword.

As soon as my body rustled the growth below me, Courtney pulled out of her moment with Luke and spun around in his arms to look at me. "Luke! Stop her!" she commanded as I picked up the sword and rose to my feet. There was a distraught look on her face as she glared at me... then there was utter surprise when Lucas didn't obey and instead, grabbed her limbs and secured her against him. He growled again, this time in the voice of the killer within. His eyes were red as he looked at me beyond Courtney's blonde hair. This was the cue, _hurry up and do it_!

Courtney saw her situation, how she'd been set up, and skipping over the part where she was angry, she turned her head back to Luke and begged for her life in innocent whispers. "Luke, why? Was I not good enough for you, my love?"

He thoroughly laughed, genuinely chuckled as she said these words to him. They might have worked in the past, but now... "Don't lie to me in your final moments, Courtney."

"Yes, you should have a little more _dignity_ than to beg for your life." I chirped in unison. Using her own words against her. She turned back toward me and pure shock was echoed into her perfect, white cheeks. She was so beautiful, and so dead. "Murderer! It ends here, now." Luke's fangs sank into her neck with a violent hissing and the sound she made in response to this betrayal was horrifying. Her eyes were wide with shock, with pain; she jerked in his gasp but she wasn't strong enough to break away from him. I looked upon her as Luke weakened her, and no matter what form she took now, she wouldn't be able to stop me. The rage that had been building within me all along, threatening to consume me as it did Courtney in the past, was lit afire.

The horrible, twisted sensation of anger and hatred overtook me as Luke pulled away and held her steady, ready for me to execute... My mother, Daniel, Felicia, the boy, every other mortal that had been killed in cold blood, the hurt and burden the ones spared had to carry, all because of her... I thought of it all and I let the flames of this attribute consume me, overpower my body, and I directed all of it into one final blow.

"Wait-" she pleaded.

I couldn't hear it over my own scream and the metallic slicing of the sword through the air, and through her neck.

Even with the adrenaline and Luke weakening her, I didn't make a clean cut to completely sever her head. Every feeling of revenge for her had been building up since the moment of my mother's death. Calculate my entire family's pain over the years, the ridicule and undesirability the curse had added to my family name, every drop of blood shed by her beautiful hand and pretty face...

"_I will leave the hatred for someone who can do something about this murderess, and they can channel their rage into her destruction."_ Lucy, my angel's words echoes into me and I drew the sword over my head again, and let it come down like the hammer of god, delivering me from this evil that was Courtney Vengeance. This was for Lucy, this was for me, and my family, for anyone who suffered and was going to suffer if she was left to live!

Again and again I sliced into her neck until her head of blood-soaked honeysuckle dropped to the ground with a soft thud.

Even then, I could not stop slicing my father's sword into what was left of her body. My vision turned red with the blood pumping behind my eyes; I screamed and screamed as I stabbed her through and through again and again. I couldn't stop, though she was long dead. The arm dropped to the ground, her chest was revealed and mutilated and still I couldn't stop!

After that, there was a slow-motion blur of events. Luke had dropped Courtney's corpse and came to bind me and take the sword from my grasp and stop my insane assault; Taylor and several other men with white faces rushed in to rid of any evidence of Courtney's body and make sure she was dead for good. A fire was lit and her remains was what burned that night. Stars twinkled in the sky as bright red, orange flames guided the beautiful demon into her final stage of death. She descended into hell to remain with Lilith and Lucifer, with Satan and Damian.

I was on the ground now, sitting in Luke's lap, rocking back and forth with his arms around me. I stared at the fire; it grew with a roar and the firelight glinted over my sapphire eyes as I watched for ages, it seemed, until the flame settled into a few glowing cinders. Somewhere in that cycle, I swore I heard my mirror image scream with the remorse of finally being defeated.

Or perhaps it was just my imagination.

I spit on the ashes when it was all said and done.


	32. Chapter XXX

**Note:** Funny stuff happening with that poll on my profile. Someone chose Courtney as their favorite character. Totally cool! I know, she's hot. But now, she's DEAD. Haha. I know the climax was predictable, perhaps too predictable, but you knew all along Courtney was going to die somehow, just like you knew all through Twilight that Victoria was going to get her ass whooped by the Cullen family. Probably shoulda made it more violent, eh? A resolution _can_ be reached sometimes. This isn't a Shakespearian tragedy where everyone must die by the end. (Daniel's death alone almost caused my assassination).

This, my friends, is the last actual chapter. There'll be two little epilogues happening after this, but they're eh. Then...a sea-quill! So, it is my dearest pleasure to say to you all:

**THANK YOU FOR READING! (May I please have a plethora of reviews for my year of work?)**

**Chapter 30 – Resolution**

New York was the same, but I had changed more profoundly than ever.

The following day after the murderer of my family was erased from this earth, I asked Lucy to assist me on my trip to deliver the news to Daniel. Our friend, who rested in the New York soil. The city was still bustling with people, the yellow cabs were waved down the same as always, the accents of the Americans on the east coast flooded my ears just as they always would...

The world seemed different, yet it hadn't changed a wink. The globe spun at the same speed it always had, yet I felt relative time speed up to its normal pace again. Whatever that pace of life meant. Vengeance and revenge had left me completely, and I was left with this satisfaction that wasn't as strong as I thought it would be. All of that pain and torment, for what? Now that the curse had been broken, it was odd to ever say there was one in the first place. How did I go about living, now that were was no real goal? Could I still move forward, living the same as I had before the days when I knew nothing of Courtney and vampires? The whispers in the wind and rain told me that the life of ignorance was lost forever.

My angel, who was overjoyed to know I was successful in my deed and physically unharmed, walked next to me under her lilac umbrella, shielding herself from the rain. I was indifferent. The cemetery in the city, right next to the bakery and the coffee shop, was not disconnected from the rest of society like the graveyard I had entered the night before.

"I still feel remorseful, but not miserable anymore. Is it alright to feel that way without Danny?" My angel asked me. She stared at me from under the umbrella where she and her baby stood in dryness, while I chose to stand under the tears of the sky. I looked up at her from the stone before me.

"Yes." Was my simple answer. "Now that Danny's death has been avenged, I feel... lighter. His death wasn't without a cause, deep in my heart I believe his death was necessary for the destruction of his murderer. I hope that makes sense."

"It does, though I do not think I believe the same. I still wish he were here, but that's the childish side of me wishing everything would have turned out happily ever after, like in fairy tales."

"It still can." I replied with a smile. A real smile. The first smile I could remember in days. We took a moment of silence to respect our sleeping friend.

"Ally, look!" Lucy pointed to the single ray of light that had suddenly broken through the looming gray clouds crying over us. The ray lightened the scene before us; Daniel's name glinted on the marble tombstone. A moment later, the mournful rain ceased. "Well... isn't that convenient?" she asked, lowering her umbrella. She opened her mouth and let one of the final sprinkles of God's tears fall on her tongue.

Only six feet beneath our feet, Daniel's body rested. "It's done, buddy... Rest in peace, in_ real_ peace this time." I told the marble tomb before me. Water dripped from the tips of my matted hair to the grass below.

"Good bye, sweet love." Lucy bid him after me with a kiss blown across her palm. A sad, but benevolent look crossed her eyes. "Ally..." Lucy began sweetly and softly after a short pause. I looked up to her with interest arched in my brows. "I told Henry I was pregnant."

My jaw dropped, though I wasn't completely surprised. I recalled that I'd seen her talking to the man before the night I slew Courtney Vengeance. Now I knew why he had looked so shell shocked the morning after that night.

"Guess that means I need to tell Luke my secret..." I mentioned. "How did he take the news?"

"He's... still taking it." She replied in a bashful voice.

"I'm sure he'll accept and love you just fine, after the initial shock passes," I assured.

"Hope so." She added, pulling a lock of golden hair behind her ear. I put my arm around her shoulder and we took one last look at Danny, bid him goodbye in ensemble, before taking leave. The gray clouds seemed a little lighter and more joyful than before.

* * *

Fourteen hours of a plane ride to New York gave me time to ask the questions. Fourteen hours for a return allowed me contemplate answers.

Life _could _be happy now. Life did not having a looming cloud of blood and murder any longer. My so-called destiny to break the Lockett curse had been fulfilled. I'd avenged my mother and Danny and every other victim of Courtney... And thankfully enough, the nightmares I'd been plagued with when I started seeking answers had ceased. I slept peacefully every night so far after Courtney's execution, a serene sleep I hadn't felt in awhile. I realized that I saw the sky a little bluer, the grass a little greener; even the droplets of rain falling from the gray atmosphere seemed to be cheery. Yet I felt like something wasn't quite right. Something within me was unsure, or darkened still.

I realized what it was when Lucy and I arrived back in Aldorra. I always transported myself on horseback when I had the choice; Lucy didn't mind riding, though pregnant. Her arms were wrapped around my middle as I led us up the sunny cobblestone street toward the palace. We passed by a group of volunteer townspeople who were carrying a series of wooden coffins into the cathedral. I slowed the chestnut horse as I watched this in far-off thought.

My people must have also felt that the curse and the darkness and fear filling this land had been lifted. They were rounding up all of the dead found and still being found and praying for their passage to the resting place. Victims of Courtney should have a free card to heaven, in my opinion.

"How sad..." Lucy whispered. "At least there won't be anymore." She tried to be optimistic. My Lucy.

I frowned, however. Every person in those coffins, shuffled one by one into the cathedral to have a joint funeral; they were all murdered by the one I had murdered. Did that make me a saint? Or in the moment of killing another being, no matter _what_ the being, was I a heartless killer as well? I knew that Courtney and I were nothing alike, and later when I would bring this up to Luke he would assure me that what I did was needed, therefore justified, just like war.

We stopped our ride and attended the joint funeral. It lasted for only hours, but if someone would have told me three days, I would have been fooled.

* * *

My angel and I were exhausted by the time we reached the palace. The tense mood I'd felt here before had relinquished. Now, everyone had been waiting for me, this time knowing I would return.

Nicolas was the first person I spoke to. I brought him to my bed chambers, it the first time I'd ever let a mortal male walk into the threshold of my quarters. I told him that I would tell him everything, and sitting on the couches in the entertainment room in the light of a late afternoon filtering through the windows, I confided everything in him. He sat opposite of me with his hands folded, his auburn hair perfect but his collar crooked. His wide, dark brown eyes never left me, hardly blinked as I started from square one.

"My mother took me from this country on September 16..." All the way to, "Lucy and I just returned from visiting Daniel's grave. His death has been avenged, he can rest peacefully. And now, whoever I marry will not be killed! A nice relief, no?" I ended on a light note, though the story was far from light.

The man was still staring in silence. I gave him time to process and waited patiently for any questions that may have arisen. Oh, and I left out every bit about having a vampire as my lover in these very bed chambers. I left that part out, not to be deceitful, but because it was entirely private. I _did_ mentioned the time Luke and I were together in New York, but that was all Nicolas needed to know of Luke and I's relationship.

"That was... quite a tale." Nicolas finally let out. He ran a hand through his hair to let the impact of my story settle in. "I honestly never excepted all of _that_..."

We both laughed, I more bashfully. "Questions my sanity, but do you at least believe the vampire part?"

"Oh yeah." He answered quickly. "Yes, I've seen more than enough proof for the vampire part. She's gone you say?" I nodded. He sighed in relief and reclined in the chair. His mind was still trying to settle the anecdote in. "And there was another man. Just like I thought." Nicolas added after a few more moments of silence. I think I blushed now. I looked at his facial features and body expressions as he said this; I could not read the answer for my next question on him.

"Do you love me, Nick? Really _love_ me." I repeated and defined love in the question. I was asking a specific answer.

The man before me rubbed his strong hand under his jaw and thought reasonably hard on the question for several seconds. His eyes avoided mine until he opened his mouth to speak, "The girl who was taken away by her mother was the one I once loved, yes. But I don't see that girl before me and I doubt I'll ever see the purity and innocence I'd fallen for before in the woman in front of me. So, no, Allison. I don't love you. I thought perhaps I did, but you've changed. You're different. Before it was in secrets, and now that I know, assuming everything you've told me is true and accurate, I can't fall for you the same way I once did when we were kids. I'm sorry." I felt tremendously relieved as I heard this.

"No apology needed, Nicki. I completely understand. I asked because I wanted to make sure. You would make me feel guilty if you loved me, because the love was not returned in a romantic way."

"Of course! Platonic love all around." He added in, feeling keen for being as blunt as he had. I appreciated it, however.

"Having discussed this, there was still something I wanted to ask. A favor."

"Anything." He replied, knowing nothing of it.

"A _big_ favor, Nicki. Huge, really."

"I'm sure I had compensate for it."

I drew in a breath as he stared at me, waiting for me to voice it to him.

"What you told me before, about our marriage being a secure and perfect political union..." His expression hardened, but he did not seem to protest or dislike what I was getting at. "If I asked it of you, would you still be willing to marry me, politically only? It would please not only your father but the people and... I know you wish for nothing more than to become the king, even for a moment."

"I do wish that." He agreed. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought. "If I did say yes, Allison... What would we be? Married friends, procreating for the sake of loveless children? Would you take your other lover to bed after we were wed?"

"If you ever agreed to such a loveless marriage, I would never do anything to hurt you." I remarked more sharply than I meant. What he accused was preposterous. Nicholas knew me better than that, but then again, in a sense he hardly knew me at all.

"You would give up love to marry me and stay the queen?"

"I... I'm not sure. I would chose my people over one man, if I were forced to. In a heartbeat I would sacrifice my happiness for them, no matter the pain..." My chest felt heavy just thinking about saying goodbye to Luke forever. "The people in my- in _our_ country need us. I would give up one lifetime of love if that is what they wanted."

I told Nicki this as if it were a promise. He had nothing more to say, I knew his mind swam with all of the possibilities, the pros and cons... Before when he'd brought this union up in conversation, is was all a game to him. Now that it was real and tangible, he finally weighted the seriousness of the situation.

"Please, think about it. Decide if that is what you want, and if you think it's best for the people." I rose and made a motion to dismiss him. He stood as well, hovering a few inches above me in height. I led him to the door leading out, and at the same time we told each other, "Thank you." I in English, he in Catalan. He both laughed and blushed and looked at our feet. For a moment we were kids again, innocent and playful. Then the morality of life's experiences weighted in on our eyes and engraved into our faces. We were not as we were when we were children any more, Nicki was right about that.

I didn't emerge from my quarters for dinner. I was too nervous and excited upon seeing Lucas for the first time after that night, where humanity left me for a few fleeting moments...

As soon as Luke appeared on my balcony, I ran to him and flung my arms around him. I missed him dearly, days felt like months before this moment. He kissed me passionately, passion I feared would have left after Courtney gone, but I was clearly mistaken. Luke showered me with more adornment than ever before; I didn't have a chance for real conversation because that passionate kiss turned into love, making love right there on the wall near where I had flung myself upon him.

Joy and happiness was free to flourish within me, and I truly was happy, but there was still a dark reminder that wouldn't let go of my heart. It tugged each time I saw blood red or recognized life in human kind.

"Is something troubling you, my love?" Luke asked sweetly. I did not answer, simply cupped his face and placed a sweet kiss on his lips. We rested on the sofa in the library; I frowned as he remained puzzled.

"Luke, would you show me what I looked like on the night I slew Courtney Vengeance." It was not a question. His face of curiosity turned upside down. He wanted to protest or question my motives behind the request, but he did not part his lips.

He rested my head against one of the soft throw pillows and shifted his body over mine, Then he balanced his body weight over my form and set his forehead to mine.

In a flash I was reclaimed into the night where the Lockett curse was broken. A night that rested so still and calm, _it was as if every tree and animal were waiting for my deed to be fulfilled..._

_Darkness surrounded the setting, and in it I saw a woman, fear and confusion laced in her eyes. "Luke, she's right there!" The woman seemed half frightened in her confused state. Quickly she pieced together the deceit._

_A haze of sweet words and shouts passed over my eyes, then the saw the deceived woman again. Her hair flowed in the gentle breeze as she raised her hands above her head. A sword was grasped in her fingers so tightly the whites of her knuckles shone against the stars in the black backdrop. Her face, gentle and beautiful one moment, was angry and pulsing the next._

"_It ends here!" She shouted. It was a broken and mad howl, like a rabid dog crying to the moon. She screamed and tore the blade into the neck of another woman with a frenzied, carnal look in her eye. The look that was in the eyes of men in the face of war, the look that was in the eyes of a mother who strangled her own baby when it wouldn't silence; it was the dark iris that knew no law or moral code, only the sight of life fleeing from another body, whether it be in blood or color. The deranged woman hacked and hacked at the body of the yellow-haired beauty until she was a corpse of several proportions. Blood splattered in a terrific and graphic sight of pure horror and gore._

_The woman was _me_._

In quick breaths and mild breathing, I was brought back from the scene taken straight from a horror film. I screamed out loud and rebelled against the arms that shook me. "No!" I shouted to nothing and no one over and over. Finally I calmed, Luke's strength was too great and I was too defeated. Sweat covered my form again, this time from fear.

There was no way I could remain human after _that_. I lost my humanity, just for a moment, when I killed in cold blood, regardless of who it was. I acted just as monstrously as she had, just for a moment...

"Oh God... Luke." I told him, my body shaking. I buried myself in him, allowed my discomfort to be his and his mine, and sobbed dry cries against him.

He calmed me with words and song, and before I knew anything different than quivering fear of what I'd been that night, I was resting in the silk sheets of my bed, Luke never leaving my side.

* * *

.x. Lucas

"Lucas, The Grand Council has officially decreed it. Allison must be abdicated. They urge you to change her, because to kill her would be fruitless and unjust. But it is also unjust for her to continue in her life, she knows and has seen far too much." Taylor warned me carefully. The entire two days Allison disappeared was spent cleaning up mess and finishing up the pesky paperwork for a hunt that had been raging for more years than it should have. _This_ was the final decree of The Grand Council. All they had done was take back the immediate execution order and replaced it with a new, more lenient execution order. Execution order or no, I _wanted_ to change Allison, possibly needed. Last night when I showed Allison what she looked like when she slew Courtney, well, I thought she'd looked beautiful and brave during the event. But she saw a monster, and for that, she thought she shouldn't be allowed to remain human. (Her culture told her that part). My desire and her damnation tied into each other.

The thought of Allison growing old, aged and creped and wrinkled... I couldn't allow her to **ever **be that way. I wouldn't let Father Time have his wicked way with her mortal body and then his partner the Grim Reaper rise from the shadows to claim her soul...

It made me _sick_ to think of Allison as anything other than the most beautiful woman in my life. Allison _deserved_ beauty, she deserved happiness and immortality and everything the world and heaven above had to offer to her.

What I wanted the most was for her to become my immortal bride, my companion. Or, in a more vampire slang of sayings, I wanted her as my mate. I would sire her and we would be together forever; quite literally.

I wasn't sure if I could live without her, and I wasn't curious or strong enough to find out.

I didn't have what human tradition in the western world required me to have on this occasion, but the following night after Allison confided in me and Taylor told me the final verdict, I startled Allison by grabbing her as soon as she walk into her bed chambers and placed her in the center of the room. I was a man on a mission; my heart ran with blood that wasn't there.

.x. Allison

The man startled me half to death!

There I was, minding my own business, walking, and he grabbed me and put me down in the center of my bedroom. As if I couldn't have walked there myself if he asked. I wanted to scold him but he silenced me with a single, cold finger over my lips. There was a deep sense of ambition in his eye. I immediately became curious.

"Allison..." he stared, holding my warm hands in his cold. "Mary..." My heart fluttered as he descended to one knee, still staring up at me, still holding my hands. "Lockett." My heart stopped, or started beating rapidly, I couldn't tell. My eyes never left his. "I'm in love with you, Allison. I cannot even begin to explain what that means to me, only that I feel a power in me, stronger than anything I've ever known, willing me to say these words to you. I want you; all of you. And I want you by my side forever."

I was perfectly speechless for several moments. His eyes did not blink, but mine did and my heart was beating abnormally. This was...yes, it as a vampire styled proposal. To say yes and give him my heart, oh, I wanted that very much. But my heart, it was beating right now for it's people, and I couldn't deny that to them. They'd been without their queen far too long for me to disappear again. Tears began to well up in my eyes as I saw it was either one or the other. "L-luke, you know that you're asking me to-"

"I know... I know..." he cooed and rose again. A tear slid down my cheek and he wiped it away with a gentle digit before kissing my forehead. "Please don't cry." he whispered. "It pains me to see you cry." I couldn't help it. This was... a new and bigger decision than anything.

On the one hand, I could live forever in the arms of my love, being happy with him for all time, and leave my people in the hands of the regent.

On the other, I could give back to my people the years I'd stolen from them... three years I'd waited after I was of age to take the throne... and I could sit miserable in the bed of a man I did not love, but with many heirs.

"Y-you're asking quite a bi-"

"I understand if you decline my offer, Allison. I understand completely." Oh, the sadness in his eyes as he said that to me. He was willing to sacrifice his own happiness for mine. "But I also want to let you know, I will wait. However long it takes... if you want to sit at your throne for a few years, fine, it's done. I can wait a year or two, or five, or ten, even! Though I don't know if you'd want to wait until you were thirty-three to be immortal, though I wouldn't doubt you'd still look as lovely as ever afterward..." He went babbling on and I finally pressed my finger to his lips with a soft smile.

"I have to think about it, my love. I honestly don't have an answer right now."

The ultimatum I'd seen a moment ago blended together into one hazy image. I could have Luke forever _after_ I'd given back to my people, I could make it all work. Granted, I would have to marry and produce an heir with a man who was human, but that was just a factor I would have to initiate so my country will do well after I'm long gone. Luke would understand.

The very next day, the entire legislative and even my Prime Minster ordered that I complete my _'training'_ as a politically active queen by visiting several countries of our allies for one or two weeks at a time. The objective was to brush up on the several languages I'd learned and probably forgotten by now, and to observe structures of government and living in those countries so I might improve my own. I was reluctant for this trip, "I've been in America long enough to see how _not_ to live and run a government." I joked with the legislative. Nonetheless, I was deported rather suddenly, to Italy.

In this time, Nicki had not agreed or disagreed with the marriage I wanted to arrange between us. He simply said "I do think we are right for our people," when I was about to board the plane. That was as good as a yes for me.

And of course, my vampire lover followed me to my location in Italy. I was alone in my room, but bodyguards made themselves comfortable in the Italian inn we stayed at. Lucas occupied my loneliness after the second night. I knew he must have been angry with my sudden leave, and he only found out through Taylor about it. When he arrived he'd been foul with me, but it passed and during the night hours we sometimes spent a romantic early morning together within the walls of Italy, in secret. I was glad he didn't pressure me on the question of his _proposal_. I was eternally so grateful that he was willing to wait for me concerning it.

On the last night of my stay in Italy, I made the suite I stayed in very lovely. Flickering candles and relaxing scents gave the room a romantic atmosphere not unlike the one Luke made in his own home so long ago. Luke appreciated the room and my choice of attire completely; a new red little pair of undergarments found my body for his eyes only. I expected him to devour me then and there, but surprisingly enough we simply rested in each others arms trapped in a sweet embrace for a few minutes, before anything was heated up, so to speak.

"Luke?" I started. He raised his head as I asked and my hands cradled his blond hair. He awaited the question and I sat up a tiny bit more on the pillows, so our blue eyes were each level with the other. "What's it like? ...To take blood, I mean."

He cocked a brow at the question and smiled in a way for me to see his fangs. "Would you like to find out?" he teased while crawling closer. The blond hair curled darkly over his icy eyes; he was frightening and irresistible in one moment.

I pulled on his hair nervously and he pulled back by an inch or two. "No! I mean... Not yet." I chose my words carefully. He tilted his head just slightly, probably wondering why I asked or what I was getting to.

"Why not tonight?" he asked. "I can't think of a better time..." His voice trailed into my neck.

"I can." I answered sharply, pulling his hair again. He made an annoyed sound and put his face inches in front of mine. "Like you said before, for us to be together, you'd have to change me eventually, and I'll be willing to accept that some other time than tonight."

He tilted his head again. "And when were you thinking was a good time, my dear?" I knew he wanted me to be willing. Well, he wanted me if I were willing or not, but it would be easier on me if I were willing for him. He made it clear he would wait for me, but I don't think he fully understood what I needed to do before the day of my turning would come.

"In a few years, my love." He opened his mouth to ask why, but I set a finger over his cold lips. "Tonight is the last night we can be together until then. I have one last goal to fulfill while I am mortal, and that is to continue the Locket line by marrying and producing an heir with a mortal man, Luke. I have already chosen someone strong enough to lead the country when I am gone, and him and I are going to be married."

Luke was rather shocked as I said this. His expression was blank as he realized, that was why I chose this suite, dressed myself up all nice and pretty and made the atmosphere as romantic as it was. Anger flared in his eyes, perhaps a bit of jealousy, but it subsided as I moved my finger and kissed him, then continued.

"After I conceive a child, I have to make sure he's going to be healthy enough and live to see twenty-one. And besides, I want to spend time with my kin before you steal me for all eternity."

He was quiet and brooded underneath his fumbling eyebrows.

"Please Luke. I have to do this." I told him inspirationally.

Still, he was silent.

"And I need you to let me."

A long, deep sigh.

"This finance of yours. What's he like? I know him?" he asked nonchalantly. I pouted and was reluctant to answer. I could feel him working into my mind; he wanted to see what all he'd missed in my life as he slept.

"Luke." I said in a warning tone. He raised his brows and appealed more calmly; his intrusion to my mind ceased. "He's...capable. I trust him with my life and country. I chose him not for love, but because he can handle the responsibilities of the throne without corruption until the child is old enough."

"_The child_?" he exclaimed now, eyes flying to my stomach.

"Hypothetical child!" I replied sharply. "It's already written in stone that I have to have a baby eventually. Didn't mean to give you a heart attack, so to speak..."

He nodded and sighed, calming himself again. "And this is our last night for awhile, you say?" he asked next, eyes locking with mine. I nodded my head and rested myself deeper into the pillows. "I was wondering why you were going the extra mile. It couldn't be because you love me so much and I'm absolutely irresistible." he teased. I giggled. He took both of my hands and folded them together with his. "Just promise me something."

"Anything." I vowed.

"You won't fall in love with this new man." His eyes bore into mine, total seriousness written into the soul of that icy blue.

"Never."

"Then I will come for you when you are ready to join me, forever."

"I'll be waiting."

"And-" he continued, but I laughed and cut him off.

"And you're wasting valuable time speaking when we could be love-making." I told him with a soft, fond smile.

Nothing much else was said until the end of our night together.

* * *

"How was the trip to Italy?"

It was lunchtime in the main dining room of the palace. Nicholas sat across from me, a newspaper forgotten in his hand. His soup was untouched, mine was abandoned as he spoke for the first time I'd been back, it seemed. The bed chamber seemed colder at night now that Luke and Taylor were absent for good...

"Lovely, as always. The Italians are always so _romantico_." I replied in almost a song. I was obviously in a good mood.

"I hope you're ready now."

"For?" I questioned, my brow raised in curt interest.

"For a king." He replied. The man stood, his dark auburn hair neat and combed just for this occasion. In a few long strides he was at my side, on one knee and presenting a little jewelery box to me.

"Please, stand. You know I'm going to say yes." I offered. "I'm relieved that you agreed to this... You're honestly the only person I would ever trust with everything. The throne, my titles, the country." He stood again with a smile and made me open the box. Inside was his grandmother's wedding ring, the one I'd put on before to symbolize our false engagement.

"I'm glad you trust me as a king, Allison. I honestly am." I knew he'd been waiting for this moment for a long time. Not marrying me per say, but a chance at becoming king. Just as little boys dream to be the president in America, the boys here dreamed of being a king or prince. Nicki's dream was coming true. "I'm also surprised you would give up love for the country... That means more to me and them then anything," he added, giving sensitive thought to my personal sacrifices on this agreement. He took the ring and placed it on my left hand. It was a perfect fit. "So, uh... Do we kiss now?" he asked, suddenly sheepish in his stance. I smiled and felt just as awkwardly. He didn't mean a show kiss to sway the masses. He meant a real kiss; the kind you give when no one is looking.

"Uhm... how about we just take it slow." I suggested. The awkward mood relaxed as he sighed.

"Sounds great. First we'll get married, then we'll go on our first date."

I laughed. "I'm yours; till death do us part." I said, knowing well what death was going to be for me.

"Till death," he replied in agreement, "which hopefully won't be for a very long time."

My frown he couldn't see as we embraced and my head was pressed against his shoulder.


	33. The Fate of Allison Lockett

**The Fate of Allison Lockett**

So the fate of Allison Mary Lockett was this:

She had broken the curse of her family by killing Courtney Vengeance, the cruel and vain victimizer of her ancestors, and this demon ceased to trouble her kin another night. With shattering the curse, she tore through her own chains in life, chains that stopped her from truly living until the fateful evening they were severed. During this endeavor, and perhaps the prior couldn't have been possible without it, she'd fallen in love with a vampire. But in order to continue her royal family line with heirs, she had to marry and have a child with a man she did not love, a human man, since a bastard child created with a man she was not married to (and a vampire) would never be accepted to take her country's throne as queen's consort.

She nurtured the child until he was old enough for her to know that he would grow to be fit and healthy. As soon as she was sure of survival, the deep animosity that took her on the fateful night of the broken curse claimed her and whispered that she could not remain mortal and have killed so coldly in blood. It was then that her true lover came to her in the night and she too, became damned for all time. She knew, unlike her mother, her husband would be able to support the country without her until the child was old enough to inherit everything. And she would watch from the shadows, along side Luke, as a protector for her family, so no curse or person would ever harm them again.

The only other factor was a human woman could indeed reproduce with a male vampire.

And this fact remained a secret from the 'human father' of that child, a child half damned for all time...


	34. Epilogue, kinda

**Epilogue; kinda**

A knock came from his door. Oak, heavy. The sound was made by the perfect gesture, and he knew exactly who it was on the other side. His dark eyes traveled to the door as his tall and thin body smoothly moved over to open that entrance and let his favorite fair-headed vampiress inside his study. "Mr. Halling," she addressed him formally, sounding ready to tell him the news of something important.

"Julie." the man interrupted kindly. "I told you to address me as Taylor when it is just you and I."

The woman with the bright orange hair blushed, a beautiful rose color coming to her white cheeks from the blood of her latest kill, then continued what she had came in to report. "Taylor," she began again, almost embarrassed to speak his name in such an intimate setting. Just the two of them, in his office, the fireplace a lit and blazing... His smile was friendly to encourage her. "Allison, the current Lockett Queen, has disappeared suddenly. You know what this means..."

"Yes." he replied simply. "That was my original intent."

The vampire Julie tilted her head and narrowed her emerald eyes with a slight misunderstanding, he believed. "Original intent?" she questioned.

Taylor gestured for her to sit down in one of the two chairs facing a table where two glasses and a bottle of blood sat. With one of his long arms, he poured them both a fresh glass of blood. She knew this meant his explanation was going to be good as well as lengthy; she sat on the edge of her seat. He first made a silent toast with her, then sipped his drink before going on. "My original intent when I killed her mother some seven years ago or so..."

Julie nodded her head, not finding this much of an unexpected surprise. Courtney's signature was carving the word "Vengeance" into her significant victim's body after grueling torture and harm, leaving the body unrecognizable, almost. Allison's mother, Mary Lockett, simply was drained by one bite on the neck and had a piece of paper in her hand with the word "Vengeance" on it written in her own blood. There wasn't a single scar or drop of blood wasted with Mary. Taylor didn't like making a lot of mess when it came to murder. But Julie didn't see how the points connected from Allison Lockett becoming a vampire to Taylor killing her mother a few years in the past. Her emerald eyes examined the blood in the glass before she took a small sip and gracefully set her glass back down. She didn't know how Taylor could stand to drink this... this... _bottled_ blood. She preferred live game, but that was just her.

"You know, of all immortals, my dear, before our little Allison came along, the hunt for Courtney had carried on for decades with no success whatsoever." Julie nodded and he had a sour look on his face when recalling it. Those had been troubling times, indeed. Courtney would never take any of the bait set, such as the next Lockett man who was supposed to die, but she would still strike when least expected and leave as much mess as she possibly could just to spite them. Without the help of Luke and any way to track the beast she transformed into, she'd gotten away every time. The Grand Council had threatened to take away the leadership they entrusted Taylor with several times during those years, they had even attempted their own hunt for Courtney, but they had no success whatsoever and Taylor sternly promised them he was best for the job and would contain the uncontrollable soon. Lucas had gotten a bunch of the heat too, but with he being elder than Taylor and most of what was left of the council, he'd been able to slide through a large portion of his punishments for not _'taking care of an uncontrollable fledgling.' _ But anyway, "Everything changed when I saw the recently widowed Mary Lockett and her daughter in the newspaper over ten years ago, an article about how they'd run from the country and were rumored to be in America. I looked at the picture of Allison and I knew right away, she was _the one_!" the man exclaimed.

Julie looked oddly at him again, knowing that Taylor did not mean he had fallen in love with Allison. He shook his head as she thought this and she kept listening. "No no, she was _the one_ who would change everything about the hunt for Courtney. I'm the mastermind of plans, after all. I can read people better than any other of our kind, and I have this blessed ability to strategist. Nine years I did this, and right before Allison turned the grand year of twenty and one, I set my latest plan in motion."

"And what was the plan, Mr. Hal-, I mean, Taylor." she corrected herself with a curt nod of the head. He stunned her with another huge smile and continued with a dazzling excitement about his accomplishments. Big ego, she thought to herself.

"Mary was going to send her daughter back to her throne when she turned twenty-one, but I couldn't have that, not yet. We'd settled in America because that was where we tracked Courtney and Luke to. If she moved again, we'd lose all range of her for sure."

"I still don't understand how she was _the one_. So far you've just explained that you killed Mary, and you framed Courtney so Allison would think Courtney Vengeance was the culprit."

"Exactly." he said and finished his drink. He poured himself another. "Like I said, I've been analyzing the Lockett family for many years, and Lucas for that matter. I planned all of the events to follow based on what their reactions would be. Every last detail was taken into account and it was executed flawlessly." Julie sighed to herself. He had so much pride in himself. "I knew Allison would want to find who killed her mother, which would trigger a higher interest with breaking the family "curse," I knew she would want to take revenge eventually, break the curse, one in the same. I knew Luke would desire her the moment he saw her because she looked so much like Courtney, and since she was a Lockett, Luke would be interested even more; from there I knew Luke would protect her, keep her alive... Of course, I had to make them meet and I had to give him a reason to protect her more fiercely after he'd fallen for her. I used your lovely ability of manipulation to draw her to Luke's house in the first place, I allowed her to see Felicia's dead body in the ally so she would get a lead to her investigation, I threatened her life and stole her blood so Luke would be motivated to protect her at all costs, from both me and Courtney. He needed a little push, that's all; and my my, her delectable blood was the first I feasted fresh on in a long while. I almost envy Lucas..." He glanced at Julie and her form and smirked to himself. "Almost."

Julie simply sat in a graceful yet comfortable pose as he spoke. She was listening, but she was looking at her glass as well and debating whether she would just finish it to be polite; for that she did not catch his attempt at flattery. Taylor lost enthusiasm as he saw her losing interest with the details. "And from there," he raised his voice and gained her attention again, "little Allison went home after a few casualties, and she and Luke built a bond so strong it overcame his obsession with Courtney. And together, they destroyed her for me. Like I had planned all along.

"The problem before was me, I couldn't defeat Courtney alone because I couldn't get close enough to her. Luke had to be the one, _he_ was the only one Courtney would allow herself to be close to without worry, because he created her. Then Allison was the only person in this world, other than I, with a fiercer drive within to kill Courtney. And we _all_ lived 'happily ever after.'"

Julie decided to down the rest of the drink but then stood to make the excuse she was busy and needed to leave. She came in his office to simply tell him of the news. Luke had turned another Lockett woman. "Hopefully this one won't be like the last."

Taylor stood also and chuckled with a hard smile. "She won't be. I counted on that too." But there was one part of the outcome that did not process in his mind. A part that would cause a stir in The Grand Council in another decade or so... But he would worry about that when the time came.

Julie sighed again. Such a simple but beautiful gesture, he thought. She let her chest rise and fall as any mortal would. It had just become second nature by now, such simple human gestures. It allowed them to fool anyone they so pleased. Taylor was delighted by this and followed her toward the door to open it for her. Polite as always toward fellow immortals, pleasant as usual, she thought.

"I thank you for the enlightenment, ...Taylor." she bid him politely, nodding to him as she stood under his arm. His black eyes penetrated her with an awesome interest and made her pause for a moment. Again, she was curious as to what he was planning.

"Have a wonderful night, Julie." he bid her in a sultry tone after a moment. Another nod, because she didn't know what else to do or say to him,

until his lips pressed gently against hers.

Then that immortal goddess locked within, underneath the human act she portrayed on her pale shoulders, was released and Taylor didn't need to open the door for her to leave him again for _quite_ awhile.

Stay tuned for the next installment: The Adventures of the Vampire Inspector (The title is variable to change)

Then the sequel to Vengeance is Written in Blood:  
"The Divine Demon"


	35. Prequel Sequel!

Hey, Vengeance fans!

I'm glad to finally say that the prequel to Vengeance, the tale of the mysterious Taylor Halling, is up! I know, it's taken me forever and a day. But it's finally there, and I hope you all can forgive my absence and still read my stuff. :)

There was a point where I put up the first chapter before this, but I hated it so I redid it and just got it up now. :) The story is called 'The Adventures of the Shaded Soul,' and even that is variable to change, so if you have any ideas, let me know.

Go to my profile and check it out.

Thank you to everybody who loved and read this story!


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